English FA bans solid walls around football pitches

The Football Association (FA) has officially banned the use of solid barrier walls around football pitches following a comprehensive safety review. According to Goal.com, the important decision was made after the tragic incident involving former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar and aims to protect players’ lives. This was reported by Goal.com reports .

It will be recalled that the 21-year-old suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in September 2025 after colliding with a pitchside barrier while playing for Chichester City against Wingate and Finchley in a lower-league match. Following the tragic incident, independent health and safety experts conducted a special review ahead of the 2026/27 season.

New safety requirements and infrastructure changes

According to the experts’ findings, solid barriers made of brick, blocks or concrete will no longer be permitted around pitches hosting men’s competitions in the National League System (Steps 1–6) and Women’s National League matches (Steps 3–4). As a result, many clubs across the country will have to make major infrastructure changes to meet the new safety standards.

The FA’s official statement stressed that all existing brick, concrete or block barriers must be removed as soon as reasonably possible. If they cannot be demolished for structural reasons, they must instead be covered with special protective padding. The deadlines for meeting these requirements place a certain responsibility on clubs.

Public pressure and preventive measures

Nevertheless, the FA has so far allowed clubs to continue playing their matches, provided they continuously assess safety and have a plan to make the necessary changes within a specified period. The decision was made after years of demands and objections from the football community and fans.

Following Billy Vigar’s tragic death, fans and players launched a petition calling for a complete ban on brick walls around pitches, which collected more than 4,000 signatures. In June 2023, the government and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) also wrote to the country’s governing bodies, calling for a responsible approach to player safety.