Martyn’s Law — legal & regulatory implications for sports venues

Originally posted on 8 May 2025 and updated on 12 June 2026.

The world of sport is no stranger to security threats. From pitch invasions to crowd disorder, safety has always been a key concern for event organisers — and Martyn’s Law raises the bar significantly. 

Officially known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, Martyn’s Law aims to ensure that all public venues — including sports grounds, arenas and recreational facilities — are better prepared to respond to the threat of terrorism. 

Since receiving Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, the Government has indicated that there’ll be an implementation period of at least 24 months before the Act comes into force. A key development is the publication of statutory guidance in April 2026, which provides practical detail on how organisations are expected to meet their obligations and shifts Martyn’s Law from a concept to a more operational framework.

For sports venues, this includes clearer expectations around:

• Evacuation and lockdown procedures.
• Staff training and awareness.
• Communication protocols during an incident.
• Proportionate security measures for larger venues.

Here, Catherine Forshaw and Emily Rickard explain what sports clubs and event organisers need to know about Martyn’s Law ahead of the State of Play conference.

Martyn’s Law — tiers & venue sizes explained

Martyn’s Law introduces a tiered framework for terrorism preparedness based on venue size.

Standard tier — venues with a capacity of 200 to 799 people

Smaller sports venues will need to focus on preparedness, including:

• Documented procedures for responding to incidents.
• Staff training on evacuation, lockdown and communication.
• Ensuring that responses can be delivered quickly and effectively.

Notably, physical security measures aren't mandated at this level.

Enhanced tier — venues or events with a capacity of 800 or more 

Most professional sports grounds and stadiums will fall within the enhanced tier, requiring:

• Formal risk assessments.
• Documented security plans.
• Proportionate measures to reduce vulnerability (such as CCTV, bag searches or vehicle controls).

This reflects a shift towards a more structured and demonstrable approach to security planning.

Legal & regulatory implications for sport

Statutory Duty of Protection

Under Martyn’s Law, sports venues have a legal duty to assess the risks posed by terrorism and implement proportionate security measures. 

This includes:

• Conducting regular risk assessments.
• Implementing emergency response procedures.
• Providing counter-terrorism training for staff, stewards and contractors.
• Ensuring robust security measures, from access control to surveillance systems.

We can help you to navigate these requirements by providing:

• Risk assessments, tailored to your venue’s size and type.
• Assistance with developing security plans and ensuring alignment with regulatory guidelines.
• Advice on staff training and compliance with the law’s specific obligations.

New enforcement mechanisms

Martyn’s Law establishes a new regulatory framework to enforce compliance. Any failure to your legal obligations could result in civil penalties or criminal liability — especially in the event of an attack or security breach.

This brings new legal exposure to sports clubs, governing bodies and event organisers, who must now consider terrorism preparedness as a central part of their legal risk management.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has been confirmed as the regulator, introducing a formal compliance and enforcement framework, including potential inspections and notification requirements once the Act comes into force.

For organisations operating multiple venues, this is likely to require a coordinated, group-wide approach to compliance.

We can help you to understand the regulatory landscape by:

• Advising on penalties for non-compliance and potential legal consequences for your organisation.
• Assisting in communicating with regulators to address compliance gaps and mitigate penalties.
• Offering legal representation in the event of a regulatory investigation or prosecution related to security failures.

Practical impact on sporting events

Matchday operations

Major stadiums like Wembley, the Etihad and Twickenham will fall into the Enhanced Tier, requiring robust infrastructure and procedures. 

Such venues are likely to need:

• Enhanced surveillance and entry screening.
• Upgraded crowd management protocols.
• Multi-agency emergency response planning.

At the grassroots level, even non-league football grounds, amateur rugby clubs and local athletics facilities may fall into the Standard Tier — bringing basic obligations such as staff training and evacuation plans.

Fan experience

There’ll also be noticeable changes for spectators. Increased bag checks, longer entry times, visible security presence and restricted access zones may become the norm — even at lower-league or community matches.

Balancing this with the need to maintain a welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable environment will be one of the key challenges for event organisers.

Financial & logistical challenges

For elite clubs with dedicated security teams and budgets, compliance may be manageable. However, for lower-league teams and community sports organisations, the financial cost and resource burden could be significant.

There’s growing concern across the sector about how smaller clubs will meet these obligations without external funding or practical support. 

Any failure to do so could risk:

• Reduced fixture hosting capacity.
• Event cancellations.
• Exclusion from competition frameworks due to non-compliance.

Collaboration & culture change

Martyn’s Law places a strong emphasis on collaboration between clubs, local authorities, emergency services and national counter-terrorism agencies. This marks a cultural shift in how clubs are expected to operate — requiring a move from isolated event planning to integrated, multi-agency security strategies.

It also calls for a broader cultural change — embedding terrorism awareness and emergency preparedness into the day-to-day operations of sports clubs, from senior executives to part-time stewards.

Why preparation now is critical

Martyn’s Law has the potential to make the UK’s sports venues among the safest in the world. By mandating better training, planning and response systems, it could save lives and prevent future tragedies.

However, the law also presents significant challenges, particularly for smaller sports organisations. As implementation looms, the world of sport must prepare not only to comply with new legal standards but also embrace a broader shift in how safety and security are understood and prioritised.

Although the legal duties aren’t yet enforceable, the direction is clear. 

Sports venues are expected to use the implementation period to:

• Assess whether they fall within scope.
• Identify gaps in current security procedures.
• Begin training staff and updating policies.
• Align existing health and safety frameworks with the new requirements.

Talk to us

If you’re unsure how Martyn’s Law may apply to your premises or where to start with preparation, now is the right time to seek advice. Our sports sector specialists and regulatory team can help with gap analysis, documentation, training and ongoing compliance support.

We’ll also be exploring these issues in more detail at our State of Play conference, including how to deliver operational excellence across security and safety — from threat detection and counter-terrorism to crisis management best practice and Martyn’s Law.

Talk to us giving us a call on 0333 004 4488, sending us an email at hello@brabners.com or completing our contact form.