The Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2022

Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2022 and comes into force on 25th July 2022.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.

(3) In Schedule 1 to this Order—

(a) a “seat incorporating a barrier” is a seat that incorporates a barrier into its construction which limits the forward movement of spectators while allowing their lateral movement;

(b) a “seat with an independent barrier” is a seat located directly behind a barrier which does not form part of the seat and which limits the forward movement of spectators while allowing their lateral movement.

Direction

2.  The Secretary of State directs the Sports Grounds Safety Authority(1) to include a condition imposing the requirements as respects the seating of spectators at designated football matches(2) specified in Schedule 1 in any licence to admit spectators(3) to premises specified in Schedule 2.

Revocations

3.  The Orders listed in Schedule 3 to this Order are revoked.

Review

4.—(1) The Secretary of State must, from time to time—

(a) carry out a review of the regulatory provision contained in this Order; and

(b) publish a report setting out the conclusions of the review.

(2) The first report must be published before 7th December 2026.

(3) Subsequent reports must be published at intervals not exceeding five years.

(4) Section 30(4) of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015(4) requires that a report published under this article must, in particular—

(a) set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the regulatory provision referred to in paragraph (1)(a);

(b) assess the extent to which those objectives are achieved;

(c) assess whether those objectives remain appropriate; and

(d) if those objectives remain appropriate, assess the extent to which they could be achieved in another way which involves less onerous regulatory provision.

(5) In this article, “regulatory provision” has the same meaning as in sections 28 to 32 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (see section 32 of that Act).

Nigel Huddleston

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

29th June 2022