JUNE 20th 2025 - IMPORTANT GROUND GRADING CHANGES.

The FA's Stadium Accreditation Committee has made and released changes to Stadium Accreditation documentation ahead of the coming season. One of the headline changes involves capacity requirements.  Introduced recently was a requirement for an accredited capacity certificate at Steps 1 through 3 with clubs being asked to demonstrate their capacity at Step 4. Part of that has now been scrapped after just 1 season.  It is possible this may be because a proportion of S3 grounds just could not prove the upper capacity required?

Step 1 has not changed and historically has required a 4,000 capacity certificate with demonstrable proof of the ground being capable of achieving 5,000 (to be EFL ready). But, the requirement for a certificate and indeed any minimum capacity has been made void at Steps 3 & 4 with clubs being advised instead to be mindful that at S3 1,950  is preferred and at S3 1,300.  The change at S2 is that clubs have only until the end of May (before the new season starts upon being promoted) to provide the National League with a certified and approved capacity certificate for a minimum of 1,950 along with demonstrable proof that a minimum of 3,000 capacity can be achieved by 31st March in that season. The initial part of this leaves clubs with little time to plan, commission reports and schemes and achieve the deadline required. In effect therefore, if you are an ambitious S3 club or one that sees the potential for promotion looming across the fixture list post-New Year, you absolutely need to have a capacity certificate in hand or in train and one that proves the minimums, preferably in advance of the season end. Don't be caught out is the best advice possible and commission your valid capacity certificate as soon as possible here.

Other changes include the preclusion of public rights of way through grounds at S5 and above (even when they are closed on match days) and required/approved documentation from affected S6 clubs. This change will absolutely affect some S5 clubs playing at grounds in public spaces/parks and will limit any ambition of such club/ground to S6 level football only.

Importantly and correctly there are strong advisories about the provision of accessible WC's. It seems this will become mandatory in the near future and that really cannot come soon enough. To go further with this I would also like to see promoted, new ground spectator walkway width minimums increased and proper provision/advice made for entry design to grounds for the mandatory addition of a suitable width gate adjacent to turnstile/paybox entry points. A lack of thoughtful inclusion in our sport is demonstrated by allowing (for brand new ground builds) accessible access gates suitable for a wheelchair that are placed up to 70 metres away from where the turnstiles are! But again, this is sadly the case and if not controlled by LA planning (which it is clearly not in some instances) then perhaps it should be by Stadium Accreditation. In any event it is best practice to have an emergency exit gate adjacent to entry points.

Another change that could be seen as left field is now requiring hand drying facilities for dressing room wash basins. In the past this has always been deemed superfluous as players have towels with them so they can take a post-match shower. This new requirement is amongst a set that aims to provide synergy (it seems) between the men's and women's game as far as Stadium Power requirements are concerned. Also noted is a requirement now to provide sanitary bins or bags in dressing rooms, even if a ground does not host any women's football. Changes to the wording in some sections of the document are also clearly designed to meld the requirements for the men's and women's game as more grounds are opened up to women's football and this is a proper and progressive move.

Interestingly, leagues will now have the power for an assessment demand of any pitch in their competition for the purposes of deciding on a groundshare agreement - or at any other time, presumably if the playing surface is falling below acceptable standards.

Other changes involve clarification of detail for pitch barriers in front of seated stands and certain standing terraces, pitch run-offs, installation times of artificial pitches, the change of definition from a safe walkway (for players) to a secure walkway, floodlight usage times (now a minimum has been set), technical areas (to now have an example plan in the document) and some other minor changes.

There is still no formal control over the myriad of wheeled goal designs or any requirement for goals to be measured or checked within the Stadium Power/Ground Grading document/process.

I will publish on here the full Stadium Accreditation document once it is officially released in PDF form by The FA.