FA Outlaws Solid Walls Around Football Pitches After Tragic Death

The Football Association has outlawed solid perimeter walls around pitches across large swathes of the English game, a decisive move that follows the death of former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar.

Vigar, 21, died after suffering what was described as a "significant brain injury" while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in September 2025. It is believed he collided with a concrete wall during the match. His death triggered a safety review that has now reshaped the landscape of non-elite football in England.

After commissioning independent health and safety experts to examine the issue for the 2026-27 season, the FA has drawn a hard line. Solid brick, breeze block or concrete barriers are no longer permitted around pitches across the men's National League system (steps 1-6) and the Women's National League (tiers 3-4).

The wording is unambiguous. In a statement, the FA confirmed that "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". Clubs at those levels have been formally notified that they will be required to act.

This is not an overnight shutdown of grounds. Matches can continue at affected venues, but only under strict conditions. Clubs must continually assess the safety of their pitch perimeter barriers and demonstrate that they have a realistic, time-bound plan to replace or adequately protect any solid walls.

The financial burden will not fall solely on the clubs. The FA and the Premier League have committed to providing funding to help pay for the changes, a crucial step for lower-league and women's teams operating on tight budgets but now facing potentially significant infrastructure work.

Pressure for reform had been building long before the review concluded. After Vigar's death, a petition demanding a ban on brick walls around football pitches attracted more than 4,000 signatures, crystallising public anger and concern over what many saw as an obvious, avoidable danger.

The political and player voices followed. In June 2023, the government and the Professional Footballers' Association jointly wrote to the FA, Premier League, English Football League and National League, urging a more proactive stance on player safety in this specific area. That call has now produced a concrete response of a very different kind.

For countless grounds dotted around the country, the familiar sight of a low brick wall hugging the touchline will soon disappear or be heavily padded. For players, coaches and families still haunted by what happened to Billy Vigar, the hope is simple: that no one else pays the ultimate price for something as preventable as a wall too close to the game.