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The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2026

S.I. 2026/829 · Made 14 July 2026

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

SPORTS GROUNDS AND SPORTING EVENTS, ENGLAND

Made 14th July 2026

Laid before Parliament 16th July 2026

Coming into force 6th August 2026

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1 (1) and 18 (2) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975f1.

The Secretary of State is of the opinion that the conditions in section 1(1) of that Actf2 are satisfied and, in accordance with section 18(4) of that Act, has consulted with such persons and bodies of persons as appear requisite to the Secretary of State.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1975 c. 52; section 1(1) was amended by Schedule 2 to the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 (c. 27).

f2

By section 1(1) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, the Secretary of State may by order designate as requiring a safety certificate under that Act any sports ground which, in the Secretary of State’s opinion, has accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators. The Safety of Sports Grounds (Accommodation of Spectators) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/499) substituted the number 5,000 for the number of spectators specified in section 1(1) of that Act in respect of sports grounds in England and Wales at which association football matches are played and which are occupied by a club which is a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited.

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement and extent
  2. 2Amendments to the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement and extent

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2026, and comes into force on 6th August 2026.

(2)

This Order extends to England and Wales.

2Amendments to the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015

Schedule 2 (sports grounds designated under article 2(2)) of The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015f1 is amended as follows—

(a)

omit the entry for Holker Street, occupied by Barrow Association Football Club;

(b)

omit the entry for The Football Stadium, occupied by Harrogate Town Association Football Club;

(c)

after the entry for Madejski Stadium, occupied by Reading Football Club, insert—

“Crown Oil Arena, Sandy Lane, Rochdale, OL11 5DRRochdale Association Football Club and Rochdale Hornets Rugby League Football Club”;
(d)

after the entry for Adams Park, occupied by Wycombe Wanderers Football Club, insert—

“LNER Community Stadium, Kathryn Avenue, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York, YO32 9AFYork City Football Club”.

Signature

Stephanie Peacock

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

14th July 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

By section 1(1) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (c. 52) the Secretary of State may designate as a sports ground requiring a safety certificate under that Act any sports ground which, in the Secretary of State’s opinion, has accommodation for more than the specified number of spectators.

By The Safety of Sports Grounds (Accommodation of Spectators) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/499), the specified number of spectators is 5,000 in respect of those sports grounds in England and Wales at which association football matches are played and which are occupied by a club that is a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited. Sports grounds meeting these conditions may be designated under article 2(2) of, and Schedule 2 to, The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/661, “the 2015 Order”).

This Order amends the 2015 Order so as to reflect the following recent changes—

  • As a result of relegation, Barrow Association Football Club and Harrogate Town Association Football Club are no longer members of the Football League Limited.

  • By virtue of promotion, Rochdale Association Football Club and York City Football Club are members of the Football League Limited occupying sports grounds whose capacity exceed (in the opinion of the Secretary of State) 5,000 spectators.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.