FA bans solid pitchside barriers after player dies
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Chichester City’s Billy Vigar - a former Arsenal academy player - suffered a significant brain injury when he hit his head on a concrete barrier beside the pitch during a match.
PHOTO: GOFUNDME
- The FA has banned solid pitchside barriers in the National League System after the death of Billy Vigar from a head injury caused by a concrete barrier.
- Clubs must remove or cover existing solid brick or concrete barriers as soon as possible to improve player safety.
- The FA and Premier League will fund changes based on an independent safety review conducted for the 2026-27 season to prevent similar incidents.
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LONDON - The FA has banned solid pitchside barriers across the National League System following the death of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar, the governing body said on Aug 7.
The FA launched a review of the safety of walls and boundaries in 2025 after the 21-year-old suffered a significant brain injury when he hit his head on a concrete barrier beside the pitch in the Isthmian League Premier Division game while playing for seventh-tier side Chichester City.
“Any existing solid brick, breeze block or concrete barriers must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable, or covered with suitable protection if they cannot be removed for structural reasons,” read the statement.
“We have informed clubs at this level that they will be required to take action as a result of these changes.”
The review was conducted by independent health and safety experts for the 2026-27 season, and the FA and Premier League will provide funding to help implement the changes. REUTERS
