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The Premier League clubs and Championship clubs will be introducing limited safe standing areas in their grounds for the 2022-23 season after getting the green light from the UK government. Notably, the UK government has allowed clubs in the top two tiers of English football to offer limited safe standing following a successful pilot.
Cardiff, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all top-tier Premier League clubs took part in the trial run. Brentford, Queens Park Rangers, and Wolverhampton Wanderers will also join those clubs in offering supporters the chance to purchase tickets in a safe standing area.
Wembley Stadium will also offer safe standing at the domestic games later in the season. Meanwhile, the FA will trial for safety rails for England’s Nations League game against Germany in September. Sports Minister Nigel Huddlestone called it a big day football and its fans.
“We’re very pleased that we will be expanding safe standing. It’s a big day for football, it’s a big day for fans, because this is not the old terraces, this is a very different world and safety is at the heart of it. It’s one space per person, with a seat should people wish to sit down, but with those barriers behind and in front of them,” said Huddlestone.
“The vast majority of football fans behave very well and this is about fan choice; being able to experience the game in the way that you want to.”
Only clubs that meet strict safety criteria will be allowed: Nadine Dorries
Culture Secretary Nadine Norris said that the stakeholders want to make the watching experience for fans as magical as possible. However, he also emphasized that clubs that will meet strict safety criteria will be allowed to have safe standing at their stadiums.
“We want to make the experience of watching football as magical as the play on the pitch. Fans will now be able to cheer on their team from a seat or join others in a safe standing section to really get behind the players and roar on their heroes to victory,” said Dorries.
“We are not reintroducing terraces and only clubs which meet strict safety criteria will be permitted. Thanks to a robust trial, thorough evidence and modern engineering, we are now ready to allow standing once again in our grounds,” he added.