With supporter demand for improved atmosphere and more flexible matchday experiences, many clubs are exploring the feasibility of introducing safe standing areas. To move forward confidently, you’ll need to navigate a detailed regulatory framework and understand the practical construction, design and contractual risks involved.

This article covers:

• The current regulatory framework governing safe standing.
• Practical construction and design considerations for safe standing conversions
• Key legal and contractual issues clubs need to consider.

1. Staying onside: The current regulatory line

Following a series of successful trials across five clubs, the Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2022 (the Order) introduced a significant shift in stadium safety regulations. The Order permits all clubs in the Premier League and the EFL Championship to introduce licensed safe standing areas, subject to meeting enhanced compliance requirements. This is an exciting departure from the long‑standing all‑seater mandate introduced in the Football Spectators Act 1989, which followed the aftermath of the Hillsborough Disaster.

To obtain a safe standing licence from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), your club must meet the SGSA’s 16‑point criteria, which fall into four areas:

1. Infrastructure Compliance with the SGSA Guidance
2. Design of the Standing Area
3. Safety Management Procedures
4. Engagement With the Relevant Safety Advisory Group (SAG)

To support you and your club navigating this novel licensing framework, the SGSA has published the Supplementary Guidance 01: Safe Standing in Seated Areas, which has expanded upon the information in the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds 6^th edn (the Green Guide).

This guidance provides practical direction on achieving compliance across each element of the criterion.

If your club is contemplating the development or expansion of safe standing areas, a thorough understanding of this regulatory environment, in particular the steps required to secure SGSA licensing, is essential.

2. Practical construction and design implications for clubs undertaking safe standing conversions

Before committing to a conversion, you should undertake a detailed assessment of the existing stand layout, structural capacity and spectator‑flow patterns. Common issues include:

• Clearways and seat widths may need adjustment to meet SGSA minimums.
• Structural strengthening may be required due to increased dynamic loading from standing spectators.
• CCTV repositioning and enhanced monitoring systems may be needed to maintain full visibility.
• Ingress, egress and emergency evacuation routes may require redesign to address altered circulation patterns.
• Sightlines must remain unobstructed for both standing spectators and adjacent seated/disabled viewing areas.
• Provision for both home and away supporters is mandatory, requiring an assessment of multiple areas across the stadium.

Early engagement with architects, structural engineers and the SAG helps to manage these risks and avoid late‑stage variations.

3. Key legal and contractual issues

Safe standing conversions give rise to a range of legal and contractual issues that clubs should address at the outset of any project. Given strict fixture schedules, impact to your programme is often the most significant concern.

Any delay to construction works can have direct operational consequences, particularly given the growth in pre‑season fixtures and off-season tournaments. As a result, these projects are typically best undertaken by way of phased development strategies and including contingency allowances for unforeseen issues.

Choosing the right contract

Selecting an appropriate contractual method is also critical:

• JCT Design & Build can be advantageous where the contractor takes full design responsibility. However the contractor’s price will include an allowance for taking on such design risk, and flexibility in terms of the scope of the works is limited.
• Prime Cost arrangements can work well when retrofitting old stands, offering faster mobilisation and flexibility for variations and allowing work to commence quickly even where the full scope of the required design is not yet known.

Compliance with the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975

Clubs must also be alert to their obligations under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. Where proposed works are considered likely to affect spectator safety, you may be required to notify the relevant local authority, which may, in turn, review or amend the stadium’s safety certificate. This process can introduce further programme risk if not dealt with appropriately. Therefore, early, and proactive engagement with the local authority, the Safety Advisory Group, and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority is essential to minimising delays.

4. Raising the bar: Alignment with the rise in fan experience expectations and regeneration

Safe standing can deliver several commercial and operational benefits:

• Improved atmosphere and engagement, particularly in designated singing sections.
• Greater flexibility for non‑football events, such as concerts or fan experiences.
• Enhanced spectator safety, with rail seating reducing risks associated with persistent standing.
• Alignment with the trend towards 365‑day venue operation, maximising stadium assets outside matchdays.

At present, SGSA regulations maintain a one‑for‑one replacement rule, where each seated position may be exchanged for only one standing space. However, future regulatory developments may open the door to increased capacities within safe standing sections. Any such shift would present further commercial opportunities for your club if you decide to undertake conversions.

How can we help?

Our construction experts can assist you in drafting and negotiating robust legal documents to facilitate a safe standing conversion whilst minimising risk.

Please get in touch with Carly Thorpe and Jonathan Coser if you have any queries or would like us to support your club in undertaking a safe standing conversion.