The decision comes less than a year after the death of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar, aged 21, who collided into a concrete wall by accident and sustained a “significant brain injury”.

Vigar sustained the injury while playing for Chichester City in the seventh tier of English football against Wingate & Finchley. In the weeks after Vigar’s death, Wingate & Finchley set about demolishing the concrete perimeter wall of its Maurice Rebak Stadium.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the FA announced an immediate review into the safety of perimeter walls and pitch boundaries in the National League system, working with leagues, clubs and relevant stakeholders.

The review, which was conducted by independent health and safety experts, concluded that such solid perimeter pitch-side walls would not be allowed in the FA’s Stadium Accreditation Criteria for the forthcoming 2026-27 season.