Goalpost Safety Guidelines

The Football Association, along with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Health and Safety Executive and the British Standards Institution, would like to draw your attention to the following guidelines for the safe use of goalposts. Several serious injuries and sadly even fatalities have occurred in recent years as a result of unsafe or incorrect use of goalposts. Safety is always of paramount importance and everyone in football must play their part to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future:

1. For safety reasons goalposts of any size (including those which are portable and not installed permanently at a pitch or practice field) must always be anchored securely to the ground or have a weighted back bar and be in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Both socketed and portable goalposts must be assembled and secured as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that if not properly assembled and secured, portable goalposts may overturn.

3. Under no circumstances should children or adults be allowed to climb on, swing or play with the structure of the goalposts.

4. The use of metal cup hooks on any part of a goal frame was banned from the commencement of season 2007-08 and match officials have been instructed not to commence matches where such net fixings are evident for safety reasons. Nets may be secured by plastic fixings, arrow head shaped plastic hooks or tape and not by metal cup hooks. Any metal cup hooks should be removed and replaced. New goalposts should not be purchased if they include metal cup hooks.

5. Goalposts which are “homemade” or which have been altered from their original size or construction should not be used under any circumstances as they potentially pose a serious safety risk. There is no BS/CEN standard for wooden goals and they should not be used.

6. There is no BS/CEN standard for wooden goals and it is unlikely that wooden goals will pass a load or stability test. All wooden goals previously tested by independent consultants have failed strength and stability tests. The FA recommends that wooden goals should be replaced with compliant metal, aluminium or UPVC goalposts which pass the relevant standards outlined below.

For reference, you should note that The FA and BSI, in conjunction with the industry, have developed standards for goalposts – BSEN 748:2013+A1:2018 and BS EN 16579:2018. It is strongly recommended that you ensure that all goals purchased comply with the relevant standard. 

A Code of Practice BS 8461 has also been completed and copies of all of these standards are available from the BSI via their website at www.bsigroup.com 

Funding for goalposts and the replacement of unsafe goals is available via the Football Foundation and eligibility criteria and further details can be obtained from their website at www.footballfoundation.org.uk