Perimeter walls around pitches banned after Vigar death

What the report says

The Football Association has moved to ban solid perimeter walls around pitches after a safety review prompted by the death of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar, BBC Sport Football reported. Vigar, 21, died after suffering a serious brain injury while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in September 2025. The report said the injury is believed to have happened when he collided with a concrete wall.

According to the FA, the new rules will apply across the National League system for men, covering steps 1-6, and the Women’s National League, covering tiers 3-4, for the 2026-27 season. Existing brick, breeze block or concrete barriers must be removed as soon as reasonably practical, or protected if removal is not possible for structural reasons. Clubs at affected grounds have been told to assess pitch-perimeter safety continuously while planning upgrades within a reasonable timeframe.

BBC Sport Football said the FA and Premier League will help fund the changes. The decision follows wider concern over player safety around hard barriers, including a petition that gained thousands of signatures after Vigar’s death. It also comes after earlier calls from the government and the Professional Footballers’ Association for stronger action, following a separate serious injury to Bath City player Alex Fletcher in 2022. The move is significant because it sets a clearer safety standard for lower-league and women’s football grounds in England.