Stadiums & Sports Venues

Stadiums wrote the rulebook on crowd safety — usually in the aftermath of tragedy. Hillsborough, Ibrox, Heysel and Ellis Park each taught a lesson paid for in lives. These are the essentials every venue and steward must hold.

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Quick reference: Stadiums & Sports Venues safety essentials

Control the inflow

Count people into every section — never feed a crowd into a space you can't measure.

Measure and control inflow — never trap a crowd.

Segregate rival groups

Keep opposing supporters genuinely separated — not just nominally.

Separate incompatible groups for real, not on paper.

Never trap a crowd

Every enclosed area must have a way to relieve pressure at the front.

Enclosed areas must always have a release.

Manage the exit surge

Matches end and everyone leaves at once — design stairways and gates for the peak.

Design the exit for the moment everyone leaves at once.

Watch section density

Above ~5 people per m², act — that's where injury risk climbs sharply.

Density is the number that matters — watch it constantly.

Trained stewards on every flow point

Put trained, sober stewards at every chokepoint — and listen to their warnings.

Eyes on the flow — and a command that acts on warnings.

Make it official

Turn these essentials into a verifiable Crowd Management Certificate — recognised for Martyn’s Law.

Start the certificate →