Billy Vigar: Solid perimeter walls around pitches banned by FA after death of former Arsenal youngster

The Football Association has banned solid perimeter walls around pitches after a safety review was launched following the death of former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar.

The 21-year-old died after sustaining a “significant brain injury” while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in September 2025.

It is thought the injury was caused when he collided with a concrete wall.

The review, conducted by independent health and safety experts for the 2026-27 season, said it “no longer permits solid brick, breeze block or concrete barriers around pitches across the National League system for men [steps 1-6], and the Women’s National League [tiers 3-4]”.

An FA statement added: “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.

“We have informed the clubs at this level that will be required to take action as a result of these changes.”

Matches at affected grounds can continue as long as clubs assess “the safety of their pitch perimeter barriers on an ongoing basis” and plan to make changes “within a reasonable timeframe”.

The FA and Premier League will provide funding to facilitate the changes.

After Vigar’s death, a petition calling for a ban on brick walls around football pitches has received more than 4,000 signatures.

The government and the Professional Footballers’ Association wrote to the FA, Premier League, English Football League and National League in June 2023, calling on them to adopt a more proactive approach to player safety in this area.

That came after Bath City’s Alex Fletcher suffered a fractured skull after colliding with a concrete advertising hoarding during a match in November 2022.