The football clubs in the English Premier League and the clubs in the second-class Championship may, under certain conditions, offer a limited number of standing places in the stadium for the new season.
Earlier, Cardiff, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham participated in a safe standing room pilot in the second half of last season. “Thanks to a robust trial, thorough evidence and modern technology, we are now ready to allow standing room in our stadiums again”said Nadine Dorries, the UK’s Minister for Sport, Culture, Media and Digital.
Ban was a result of the Hillsborough disaster
The reintroduction of standing room has been discussed in England for years. For more than 25 years, standing room in football stadiums has been banned by law in England. The 1994 ban essentially addresses the Hillsboroughdisaster in Sheffield in 1989. At the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest, there was a crowd on an overcrowded stand, resulting in 97 deaths.