The Football Association has introduced stricter safety measures for lower-league clubs following the death of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar.

Vigar, who was 21, died after sustaining a serious head injury during a match involving Chichester City against Wingate and Finchley in north London in September 2025.

The injury was reportedly suffered after he collided with a concrete barrier surrounding the playing area.

Following the incident, the FA conducted a review of safety arrangements at football grounds across the lower levels of the English game.

The governing body has now issued new guidelines aimed at reducing the risk posed by hard structures positioned close to pitches.

Under the new regulations, clubs within the National League System from steps one to six, as well as teams competing in tiers three and four of the Women’s National League, will no longer be permitted to have exposed solid brick, breeze-block or concrete barriers around their pitches.

The FA has instructed clubs with existing structures to remove them as soon as reasonably possible. Where removal is not practical because of structural requirements, the barriers must instead be fitted with appropriate protective covering.

The governing body said clubs affected by the changes have been notified and will be expected to take the necessary steps to comply with the updated safety standards.

The new measures are intended to improve player protection and reduce the dangers associated with hard perimeter structures at football grounds.