The Football Spectators (Prescription) Order 2022

• Citation: S.I. 2022/617
• Sections: 7

Section 1 Citation, commencement, interpretation and extent

(1) This Order may be cited as the Football Spectators (Prescription) Order 2022 and comes into force on 1st July 2022.

(2) In this Order—

“ The 1989 Act ” means the Football Spectators Act 1989;

“ FIFA ” means the Fédération Internationale de Football Associations;

“ UEFA ” means the Union des Associations Européennes de Football.

(3) This Order extends to England and Wales.

Section 2 Revocations

The following orders are revoked—

(a) The Football Spectators (Prescription) Order 2004 ;

(b) The Football Spectators (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2006 ;

(c) The Football Spectators (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2010 ;

(d) The Football Spectators (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2013 .

Section 3 Regulated football match

(1) An association football match to which paragraphs , (3) or (4) apply is prescribed for the purposes of section 14(2) of the 1989 Act (definition of a “regulated football match”).

(2) This paragraph applies to an association football match in England and Wales in which one or both of the participating teams represents—

(a) a club which is a member (whether a full or associate member) of—

(i) the Football League,

(ii) the Football Association Premier League,

(iii) the ... Women’s Super League,

(iv) the Women’s Super League 2 ,

(v) the National League ,

(vi) the Cymru Premier ..., or

(vii) the Scottish Professional Football League;

(b) a club whose home ground is situated outside England and Wales;

(c) a country .

(3) This paragraph applies to an association football match in England and Wales played in the Football Association Challenge Cup (other than in a preliminary or qualifying round).

(4) This paragraph applies to an association football match outside England and Wales involving—

(a) a national team appointed by the Football Association to represent England or appointed by the Football Association of Wales to represent Wales;

(b) a team representing a club which is a member (whether a full or associate member) of—

(i) the Football League,

(ii) the Football Association Premier League,

(iii) the ... Women’s Super League,

(iv) the Women’s Super League 2 ,

(v) the National League ,

(vi) the Cymru Premier ..., or

(vii) the Scottish Professional Football League;

(c) a team representing any country whose football association is a member of FIFA, where—

(i) the match is part of a competition or tournament organised by, or under the authority of, FIFA or UEFA, and

(ii) the competition or tournament is one in which a team referred to in sub-paragraph (a) is eligible to participate or has participated;

(d) a team representing a club which is a member (whether a full or associate member) of, or affiliated to, a national football association which is a member of FIFA, where—

(i) the match is part of a competition or tournament organised by, or under the authority of, FIFA or UEFA, and

(ii) the competition or tournament is one in which a team referred to in sub-paragraph (b) is eligible to participate or has participated.

Section 4 Regulated football organisation

The following organisations are prescribed for the purposes of section 14(2A) of the 1989 Act (definition of a “regulated football organisation”)—

(a) the Football Association Limited;

(b) the Football Association Premier League Limited;

(c) the Football League Limited;

(d) the Football Conference Limited;

(e) the Football Association of Wales Limited;

(ea) the Women’s Super League Football Limited;

(f) a club which is a member (whether a full or associate member) of—

(i) the Football League,

(ii) the Football Association Premier League,

(iii) the ... Women’s Super League,

(iv) the Women’s Super League 2 ,

(v) the National League , or

(vi) the Cymru Premier ...;

(g) a national team appointed by the Football Association to represent England or appointed by the Football Association of Wales to represent Wales.

Section 5 Prescribed connection with a football organisation

(1) A person has a prescribed connection with a football organisation for the purposes of Schedule 1 to the 1989 Act (offences which are relevant offences for the purposes of Part 1 of the 1989 Act) where the person—

(a) has a connection prescribed by paragraph (2)(a), (b), (c) or (d),

(b) had, at any time in the 6 months before the date of the offence, a connection prescribed by paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c), or

(c) had, at any time in the 14 days before the date of the offence, a connection prescribed by paragraph 2(d).

(2) The following connections are prescribed—

(a) being a player, manager, coach, physiotherapist or other member of the matchday pitchside staff of a relevant team;

(b) being a referee, assistant referee, video assistant referee, assistant video referee, reserve official, fourth official, or other match official, who officiates a regulated football match involving a relevant team;

(c) being an officer of a club which is a regulated football organisation;

(d) being a journalist or other broadcast staff covering a regulated football match involving a relevant team or otherwise reporting or commentating on a relevant team or player of such team.

(3) In this article—

“ manager ” means the official responsible for selecting a relevant team;

“ officer ” means—

in relation to a club which is a body corporate, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the club, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity, or

in relation to a club which is an unincorporated association other than a partnership, a person who is concerned in the management or control of the club or purports to act in the capacity of a person so concerned.

“ player ” means any person who plays or is eligible to play for, or is subject to any suspension from playing for, a relevant team;

“ relevant team ” means—

a team representing a club which is a regulated football organisation, or

a national team which is a regulated football organisation.

Section 6 Enforcing authority

The organisation established under section 57 of the Police Act 1996 known as the Football Banning Orders Authority is prescribed as the enforcing authority for the purposes of section 22A of the 1989 Act.

Section 7 Prescribed persons

The Chief Executive of the Football Association Limited is a prescribed person for the purposes of section 18(1) and (2) of the 1989 Act.