Perimeter walls around pitches banned after Vigar death

What the report says

The Football Association has introduced a ban on solid perimeter walls around certain football pitches after a safety review triggered by the death of Billy Vigar, a former Arsenal academy player. Vigar, 21, died in September 2025 after suffering a serious brain injury while playing for Chichester City against Wingate and Finchley FC. Reporting cited the injury as likely linked to a collision with a concrete wall.

According to the published article, the new rule applies to the National League system for men, covering steps 1-6, and the Women’s National League at tiers 3-4. Clubs in those competitions will no longer be allowed to have solid brick, breeze block or concrete barriers around the pitch. Existing barriers must either be removed as soon as reasonably practical or covered with protective material if removal is not possible for structural reasons.

The FA said matches can still go ahead at affected grounds while clubs keep assessing the safety of perimeter barriers and work toward changes within a reasonable timeframe. The FA and the Premier League will help fund the adjustments. The move comes after wider concern about pitch-side safety, including a petition backed by thousands of signatures and earlier calls from the government and the Professional Footballers’ Association for stronger action after other serious injuries involving concrete advertising hoardings.