Stadium safety now faces its greatest test, writes Philip Ingram MBE. High-profile sporting venues have become prime terrorist targets due to their crowded nature and public prominence.
The numbers tell a stark storyz About 30 million spectators now pass through English football stadium turnstiles each season—nearly double the 16 million recorded in 1985/86.
This dramatic increase makes effective security protocols more vital than ever.
Now that Martyn’s law has been put onto the statute books, basic levels of security are mandated in further legislation.
The Hillsborough Stadium disaster of 1989 changed everything.
The Taylor Report that followed delivered 76 specific recommendations, transforming UK stadium safety, design and security protocols completely.
Modern access control systems, high-definition CCTV with smart analytics and tough vehicle perimeter controls have certainly improved safety standards.
Yet security experts remain clear-eyed: Absolute safety is impossible.
These enhanced measures simply work to reduce risk “to as low as reasonably practicable” while trying to balance spectator enjoyment with necessary vigilance.
Two disasters utterly transformed UK stadium safety rules and still shape security practices today.
The Bradford City FC stadium fire and four years later, on 15 April 1989, the Hillsborough disaster.
Despite being thought of as one of Britain’s most advanced stadiums at the time, with CCTV and turnstile monitoring, Hillsborough had already experienced dangerous crushes, including a “near miss” in 1981.
These tragedies forced sweeping regulatory changes:
The lessons from the disasters were numerous; training and communications flagged near the top. Both incidents revealed serious communication failures between authorities.
Bradford’s stewards ranged from age 7-70, with minimal training.
Police at Hillsborough lacked individual radios, instead sharing communication systems that became useless during the crisis.
The horrific events of the 1970s and 1980s forced urgent regulatory changes, completely reshaping how UK stadiums handle safety and security risks.
The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide), first published in 1973, has become the world’s leading authority on stadium safety.
Now in its sixth edition, the Green Guide establishes one clear principle: Ground management bears responsibility for all people present at a sports ground at all times.
The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), created in the wake of Hillsborough, functions as the UK Government’s official regulatory body for stadium safety.
The SGSA performs two main regulatory duties: It licenses Premier League, EFL and international football grounds and oversees local authorities in safety certification.
After the chaos at the Euro 2020 final when 2,000 ticketless fans forced their way into the stadium, according to a MailOnline article: “Wembley spent over £5million on security improvements.
“These upgrades include securing turnstiles and accessibility entrances, strengthening locks on perimeter doors, building a new command control room and installing more than 50 high-resolution CCTV cameras.
“In 2024, managers added a new three-metre fence around the stadium perimeter.”
Stadium operators must work within a complex web of laws.
The Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 requires designated grounds to get safety certificates from local authorities.
The Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987, introduced after the Bradford fire, extends these certification requirements to include covered stands holding more than 500 spectators.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, clubs must take all reasonably practical steps to ensure spectator safety, facing unlimited fines for failures.
The Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007 creates additional liability if deaths result from serious management failures. Of course, Stadia are publicly accessible sites so now the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law) is applicable.
Technology now stands at the heart of stadium safety.
Modern venues employ sophisticated systems that work together to detect threats and manage incidents effectively.
These tools create layers of protection for all present at events.
Today’s stadiums use AI-powered video analytics that, according to IntelexVision “scan real-time camera feeds, spotting unusual activities, identifying threats and alerting security staff instantly.”
Unlike older systems of stadium security that required constant human monitoring, these smart cameras can tell normal crowd movements from suspicious behaviour, letting security teams focus on genuine concerns.
Some venues employ multifocal sensor cameras that need far fewer units than traditional systems while maintaining precise resolution across large areas such as Panomera.
This ensures complete coverage with less equipment.
The iSentry platform also shows how far this technology has come.
It uses neural networks to learn normal patterns from camera feeds, then flags anything unusual.
This system, compared to standard video verification software reduced security alerts by 94% allowing security teams to spend less time on false alarms and more on real threats.
Facial authentication has become particularly important for stadium access.
This hands-free technology checks identities using unique facial features, working better than older methods like PINs or cards.
It connects smoothly with existing systems like Genetec, CCure and Brivo without disrupting operations.
Other solutions include:
The combination of management software, mobile tools and surveillance creates a complete security network that maintains awareness throughout events via the Venue Operations Centre (VOC) ensuring stadium safety.
Security staff now have the overview and detailed information they need to keep venues safe.
Technology alone cannot secure a stadium, however.
Behind every effective security system stands a team of trained professionals.
The human element remains essential for proper safety at UK football grounds and other major venues.
The lessons from Hillsborough and Bradford still shape security practices today.
These tragic events serve as stark reminders of what happens when security fails.
Though devastating, they led to the comprehensive regulatory framework we have today.
The shift from wooden stands and basic crowd control to AI-powered surveillance and sophisticated access management shows the remarkable progress made over three decades.
Security experts acknowledge perfect safety remains impossible.
Yet the mix of new technology and strict regulations has dramatically reduced risks at major venues across Britain.
The real challenge lies in balancing stadium safety with spectator enjoyment.
Overly intrusive security measures risk destroying the atmosphere that makes live sporting events special.
The most effective security systems combine cutting-edge technology with well-trained staff to ensure stadium safety.
Stadiums that invest equally in both create the safest environments.
Safety officers, stewards and technology specialists must work as a coordinated team that responds quickly to emerging threats.
This article was originally published in the June edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.
