Sports Grounds Safety Authority

What Sports Grounds Safety Authority does

Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) is a UK Government executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and established under the Sports Grounds Safety Authority Act 2011 (replacing the Football Licensing Authority). Headquartered at 10 South Colonnade, London, it is the statutory advisor on safety at sports grounds in England and Wales, licensing Premier League, EFL and international football grounds (including Wembley Stadium and Principality Stadium) and overseeing local authorities' discharge of safety certification functions under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.

Its core offering is a codified regulatory and advisory framework rather than a technology product: the flagship Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide, sixth edition, 2018), supplementary guidance documents SG01 (Safe Standing in Seated Areas) and SG03 (Event Safety Management), the Accessible Stadia guidance, the Alternative Uses of Sports Grounds guide, and the proprietary P/S Factor assessment methodology and Zone Ex framework. These materials underpin the SGSA Licensing Service, the Local Authority Oversight Service, and the Licensed Standing Programme (39 grounds and 200,000+ seats as of January 2026).

SGSA's revenue model blends statutory licensing (with the fee set by the Secretary of State and apportioned by average attendance), one-time/perpetual sales of guidance publications (recently repriced lower in February 2026), paid training courses (Local Authority Safety Certification, ACT eLearning), and bespoke international advisory engagements covering safe capacity calculations, strategic safety management, and stadium design reviews. Its go-to-market combines a field-based Inspectorate (each licensed ground has a dedicated regional Inspector), an e-commerce storefront for publications, and direct international advisory led by the Head of Special Projects, supported by an annual SGSA Conference (480+ attendees in 2026) and an Academic Forum held twice yearly.

Name

Sports Grounds Safety Authority

Legal name

Sports Grounds Safety Authority

Website

https://sgsa.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sports Grounds Safety Authority is the UK Government's statutory advisor on sports ground safety, licensing Premier League and EFL football grounds, overseeing local authority safety certification, and publishing the Green Guide as the definitive reference for stadium safety and design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. SGSA Licence Fees: Annual licence fees paid by football grounds (Premier League, EFL Championship, League One, League Two, Wembley Stadium, Principality Stadium), set by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and apportioned to grounds based on average attendance over the previous two full seasons. Licence valid 1 August to 31 July.
2. Sale of Guidance Publications: Commercial sale of Green Guide (digital £30, printed £50, bundle £65), SG03: Event Safety Management (£30 printed), Alternative Uses of Sports Grounds (£25 + postage), and bundled offerings; plus bulk discounts for SG03 (15-49 copies: 10%, 50-99: 15%, 100+: 20%).
3. Advisory Services: International and domestic advisory engagements covering safe capacity calculation, strategic safety management advice, bespoke training, and design reviews of new/refurbished stadia against Green Guide standards.
4. Training Courses: One-day online training courses (e.g., Local Authority Safety Certification), Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) Awareness eLearning, and bespoke training sessions for the sports safety sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) is the UK Government's statutory advisor on safety at sports grounds. It licenses Premier League, EFL and international football grounds, oversees local authorities' discharge of safety certification functions, publishes the world-leading Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide) and supplementary guidance (SG01, SG03, Accessible Stadia), and delivers advisory services, training courses, and an annual conference for the sports safety sector.

Product overview

Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) is the UK Government's statutory advisor on safety at sports grounds — a regulatory body rather than a software vendor. Its core offering is a suite of guidance publications and regulatory services that together form an integrated sports-ground safety framework: the flagship Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide, sixth edition) provides the definitive design and operational guidance, supported by Supplementary Guidance documents SG01: Safe Standing in Seated Areas, SG03: Event Safety Management, and the Alternative Uses of Sports Grounds guide. These guidance products underpin two statutory regulatory services — the SGSA Licensing Service for Premier League, EFL and international football grounds, and the Local Authority Oversight Service for safety certification under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 — plus the Licensed Standing Programme. Beyond regulation, SGSA delivers Advisory Services, Training Courses, the annual SGSA Conference, and the Academic Forum, and publishes supporting materials including Accessible Stadia, the Guide to Safety Certification, and the SGSA Strategy 2030 strategic plan, all accessible via the public Document Library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide): The world's foremost guidance on safety at sports grounds, used internationally as a best practice guide for stadium development and refurbishment. Currently in its sixth edition (published 2018), with the next edition due in 2028/29.
• SG03: Event Safety Management
• SG01: Safe Standing in Seated Areas

Products and services

• Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide) Definitive guidance on the design, planning, safety management and operation of sports grounds, available in digital (£30) and printed (£50) formats. Used globally by architects and stadium designers.
• SG03: Event Safety Management Comprehensive guidance on event safety management covering management responsibilities, risk assessments, and Operations Manual development. Available free digitally; printed edition £30 with bulk discounts.
• SG01: Safe Standing in Seated Areas Supplementary Guidance advising on engineering and management measures to safely introduce licensed standing into seated areas at all-seater football grounds.
• Alternative Uses of Sports Grounds Good practice guide to hosting non-sporting events at sports grounds, addressing design and overlay, use of the field of play as viewing accommodation, live music events, and event-specific Operations Manuals. Printed copy £25 + postage (UK only).
• Accessible Stadia Benchmark of good practice developed with Level Playing Field for providing accessible and inclusive facilities and services for disabled spectators at sports grounds.
• SGSA Licensing Service Annual statutory licensing regime (1 August – 31 July) granting football grounds permission to admit spectators to designated matches at Premier League, EFL Championship/League One/League Two, Wembley Stadium and Principality Stadium. Enforces all-seater policy and licensed standing criteria.
• Local Authority Oversight Service Statutory review of local authorities' discharge of safety certification functions under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, including nine-area audits, Safety Advisory Group attendance, sample inspections and required certificate conditions.
• Licensed Standing Programme Programme permitting fans to stand at all-seater grounds meeting 16 SGSA criteria covering infrastructure, seating configuration, capacity, viewing standards and disabled-fan impact assessment. As of 19 January 2026, 39 grounds held licensed standing sections.
• SGSA Advisory Services Specialist advisory offering covering safe capacity calculations, strategic safety management advice, bespoke training services, and design reviews for new/refurbished stadia against Green Guide standards for UK and international clients.
• SGSA Training Courses Training portfolio including local authority safety certification courses, Council of Europe standards training, ACT strategic sessions, and ACT Action Counters Terrorism awareness e-learning for sports safety professionals.
• Guide to Safety Certification Detailed guide for local authorities on issuing safety certificates for designated sports grounds under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, accompanied by supporting templates and forms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39 grounds (as of 19 January 2026) have implemented licensed, safe standing sections
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Long-standing advisory partnership since 2013 promoting a high-performing safety culture at cricket grounds. Second 5-year agreement signed in 2025 to continue work until at least 2030. Three priorities: ensure safe infrastructure, get safety management right, develop and share best practice. Each of the 18 Professional Counties assigned a regional SGSA Inspector who attends SAGs and conducts match day inspections. SGSA facilitates CPD training and tabletop exercises for cricket safety officers.
• Council of EuropeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2023UK formally ratified the Saint-Denis Convention on 31 October 2023 (28th country to ratify). SGSA has been instrumental in drafting the Convention and is a member of the standing committee and associated advisory groups. Convention establishes co-operation between stakeholders on an integrated safety, security and service approach at football matches and other sports events.
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCMS oversees the SGSA and appoints its Non-Executive Board. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport determines the SGSA licence fee and the all-seater policy. SGSA operates within an SGSA and DCMS Framework Document.
• Level Playing FieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation supporting the development of the SGSA's Accessible Stadia document and Supplementary Guidance, providing benchmark of good practice for accessible and inclusive sports grounds.
• FIFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned SGSA to conduct capacity calculations at stadiums in El Salvador; FIFA-funded engagement.
• Sport Northern IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting safe sports grounds and certification in Northern Ireland as part of SGSA's wider advisory work.
• Football Association of Wales (FA Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in partnership with FA Wales to support safety across Welsh football.
• DallmeierminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the SGSA Conference 2026 at Silverstone; welcomed back as sponsor.
• London 2012 Olympics Organising CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGSA supported safety at the London 2012 Olympics.
• Confederation of African Football (AFCON 2024 host - Ivory Coast)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGSA reviewed stadiums in Ivory Coast ahead of AFCON 2024 to support international safety standards.
• Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced partner organisation focused on accessibility for disabled supporters across European football.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4): US-based centre of excellence for spectator safety and security at sport venues, the closest international counterpart to SGSA in mission (sport-venue safety standards, training, research). Directly comparable in providing best-practice frameworks, training and advisory across major stadium safety topics.
• International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS): Global not-for-profit focused on sport safety, security and integrity. Comparable as an internationally active sport-safety advisory and standards body, with overlapping mandate on event safety, integrity and capacity building for host nations.

Broad incumbents

• Sport England: Arm's-length body of the UK Government for sport, also sponsored by DCMS. Comparable as a publicly funded UK sport authority with regulatory, advisory and grant-making functions, though focused on community sport participation rather than ground safety.
• UK Sport: UK Government arm's-length body investing in high-performance sport, also DCMS-sponsored. Comparable as a publicly funded sport authority with a strategic plan framework and international engagement remit, overlapping with SGSA's major-event advisory work.
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE): UK national regulator for workplace health and safety. Comparable as a UK statutory safety regulator with inspection powers, guidance publication, and enforcement remit, with significant overlap on fire safety, structural safety and crowd risk at sports grounds.

Others

• Council of Europe (Sport Division / Saint-Denis Convention Standing Committee): Treaty body whose Saint-Denis Convention SGSA helped draft. Comparable as the international policy forum setting integrated safety, security and service standards for sport events, in which SGSA is a standing committee member.
• The Football Association (FA): Governing body of football in England. Comparable as a UK football regulatory and standards body with a safety and integrity remit, and a key stakeholder for SGSA-licensed grounds and licensed standing policy.
• Premier League: Top-tier English football league whose clubs are SGSA licence holders. Comparable as a stakeholder and counterparty for SGSA licensing, licensed standing adoption, and event safety standards across 20 elite grounds.
• UEFA: European football governing body. Comparable as a pan-European football authority that sets stadium infrastructure and safety standards for its competitions and engages SGSA-style expertise for major tournament host venues.
• Populous (stadium design consultancy): Global sports architecture practice whose stadium design work directly references the SGSA Green Guide. Comparable as a downstream consumer of SGSA guidance and a commercial peer in the stadium safety/international advisory value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-grounds-safety-authority
• Xx.com/sgsa_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sports Grounds Safety Authority