What Fencing Does Your Football Club Actually Need?
If your club has recently received a ground grading report, been promoted to a higher step, or is simply trying to work out what the FA actually requires of your perimeter barrier — you are not alone. The criteria are widely misunderstood, frequently misquoted, and occasionally enforced at the worst possible time: right before a new season starts. This guide sets out what is required at every level, from Step 1 of the National League System down to the NLS Feeder level at Step 7, including the 2026/27 criteria change that has caught out around 900 clubs.
At Steps 1–4 you need a permanent infilled barrier that prevents the ball passing through or under it — double mesh is the standard way to meet that. At Steps 5–6 a permanent fixed barrier is required, with infill strongly advised. At Step 7 post and rope is the absolute minimum, though a permanent barrier is sensible for any club with promotion ambitions. And at every step from 1 to 6, solid brick, breeze block and concrete barriers are now prohibited outright.
The FA's 2026/27 Stadium Accreditation Criteria prohibit solid brick, breeze block and concrete pitch perimeter barriers across Steps 1–6 of the men's National League System and Tiers 3–4 of the Women's National League. Around 900 clubs are affected and roughly 160 have been contacted directly. If your ground has a wall of any of those materials running alongside the pitch, it has to be removed or protected — and the Premier League Stadium Fund will contribute up to 100% of the cost of doing so. See how to fund your pitch perimeter fence.
The prohibition did not come from nowhere. It followed a safety review of perimeter walls across the National League System, prompted by the death of a young non-league player who collided with a concrete pitchside wall. A pitch barrier sits close to players moving at speed, so the material matters. A flexible PVCu barrier gives and absorbs impact where concrete, brick or rigid steel does not. Meeting the criteria and protecting your players are best solved by the same thing: a permanent, infilled, player-safe barrier.
How the FA National League System Works
The FA's National League System is the formal structure of non-league football in England. It runs from Step 1 — the National League, one tier below the EFL — down to Step 6. Step 7 is the NLS Feeder level, made up of County Senior Leagues and Regional Feeder Leagues. Below that sit county, district and Sunday leagues, which fall outside the formal grading system and carry no mandatory ground grading requirement.
Each step has its own criteria, published in the FA's National Ground Grading Handbook. This guide follows version 18 alongside the 2026/27 Stadium Accreditation Criteria. Every club in the NLS must meet the minimum for its current step, and must demonstrate it can meet the step above should it gain promotion.
FA Fencing Requirements by Step
Steps 1–4 — Grades A, B, C, D
National League through Division One Leagues
Minimum setback: 2,250mm at Step 1, ideally 2,750mm — 1,830mm at Steps 2–4.
A permanent barrier ideally 1.1m high is required on all sides open to spectators, and it must be infilled so the ball cannot pass through or under it. Hi-vis plastic fencing is explicitly excluded as infill, and solid brick, breeze block and concrete are now prohibited. Double mesh is the standard way to meet the infill requirement. Note that where the Premier League Stadium Fund is paying for a new barrier at Grade 1, it must be set at 2.75m.
Steps 5–6 — Grades E, F
Step 5 & 6 Leagues
Minimum setback: 1,830mm.
A permanent fixed barrier is required — temporary or removable fencing does not comply, and solid brick, breeze block and concrete are prohibited here too. Infill is permitted rather than required at these grades, but strongly recommended, particularly for clubs with ambitions on Steps 1–4 where it becomes a requirement.
Step 7 — Grades G, H (NLS Feeder Leagues)
County Senior Leagues & NLS Feeder Leagues
Minimum setback: 1,830mm recommended.
Post and rope is the absolute minimum at Grade H, where infill is optional and advertising boards are an acceptable means of infill. A permanent fixed barrier at 1.1m is ideally expected and is the sensible choice for any club intending to climb — though be aware there is no national grant route to fund one at this level.
Steps 2–4 cover NL North and South (Step 2), the four Premier Divisions of the NPL, Isthmian and Southern leagues (Step 3), and their respective Division One leagues (Step 4). If your club is in any of these, an infilled barrier is not optional — it is a ground grading requirement.
The Most Common Grading Failures — And How to Avoid Them
Based on the criteria and on feedback from clubs across the NLS, these are the fencing issues that most often cause a club to fail or be delayed. We have covered the wider picture in 5 reasons clubs fail ground grading.
- A solid brick, breeze block or concrete barrier. New for 2026/27 and the single biggest change in years. Prohibited at Steps 1–6 regardless of condition. Funding is available to remove it.
- Hi-vis plastic fencing at Steps 1–4. Explicitly excluded as suitable infill. If you use orange or yellow plastic mesh at these steps, it must be replaced before your next inspection.
- Wrong setback distance. The barrier must be the correct distance from the edge of the playing area, not from the pitch markings. At Step 1 that means a minimum of 2,250mm from the actual turf edge.
- No infill at Steps 1–4. Post and rail alone, or a single rail without mesh, does not satisfy the requirement. The ball must not be able to pass through or under the barrier.
- Incomplete perimeter coverage. The barrier must cover all sides open to spectators. Three sides fenced and one open does not comply.
- A gap between barrier and hardstanding. Easily missed. No gap should be left between the barrier and the spectator hardstanding behind it.
- Temporary fencing at Steps 5–6. From Step 5 upwards a permanent fixed barrier is required. If your fencing can be lifted out without tools, it does not comply.
What Happens If Your Club Gets Promoted?
Promotion triggers a ground grading assessment against the new step's criteria. Plenty of clubs are caught out by this — compliant for where they were, not for where they have just arrived.
The practical answer is to install to a higher specification than your current step demands. Fitting double mesh at Steps 5–7 means you will never need to replace the barrier on promotion, because it already meets the Steps 1–4 infill requirement. The marginal extra cost at installation is far less than replacing a compliant fence a few years later.
Be careful where you look for the money. The Football Foundation does not fund pitch perimeter barriers; they sit on its explicit "cannot fund" list. The route is the Premier League Stadium Fund, which contributes 70% for clubs at Steps 1–6 and Women's Tiers 1–4, rising to up to 100% where a solid wall must be removed. At Step 7 and below there is no national grant route at all, so a club planning to climb should factor the barrier into its own budget or speak to its County FA. Full detail in our comparison of the two funds.
What Is Double Mesh, and Why Is It the Standard?
Double mesh refers to a perimeter system with welded mesh infill panels in both sections of each bay — between the top and middle rail, and between the middle and bottom rail. That creates a barrier the ball cannot pass through or roll under.
Since the criteria at Steps 1–4 require exactly that, double mesh satisfies the requirement by design, which is why it is installed at the majority of Step 1–4 grounds. Our guide to what double mesh fencing actually is covers the construction in more detail.
Summary: What Your Club Needs by Step
| FA Step | Minimum Setback | Infill Required? | Our Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steps 1–4 | 2,250mm (Step 1) 1,830mm (Steps 2–4) |
Required | Norvale Double Mesh |
| Steps 5–6 | 1,830mm | Strongly advised | Double Mesh or Single Mesh |
| Step 7 | 1,830mm recommended | Optional | Single Mesh or Post & Rail |
Solid brick, breeze block and concrete are prohibited at every step from 1 to 6, whichever system you choose.
Get the Right Barrier for Your Step
The Norvale Sport PVCu perimeter system comes in double mesh, single mesh and post & rail to match the requirement for your step. Supply only or fully installed, nationwide. Free quote within 24 hours, including the specification documents a grant application needs.
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