Martyn's Law is new legislation expected to come into force in the UK in Spring 2027 and will affect a large number of public facing premises and events.
Martyn's Law is relevant to you if you can reasonably expect 200 or more people at your ground at the same time, with even more requirements for those expecting over 799 people.
INTIX has teamed up with United Outcomes to provide event managers, venues, clubs, a free webinar to help understand the new requirements and how to meet them.
What is Martyn's Law?
Martyn's Law is formally the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It's named after Martyn Hett, who was a victim during the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.
It's expected to come into force from spring 2027. The government has already published its guidance, so clubs can start preparing now.
Is your ground in scope?
The number that matters is how many people you can reasonably expect at your ground at the same time. For many clubs, that means the derby, the cup run and Boxing Day count for more than a wet Tuesday in February.
Staff, stewards and volunteers all count towards that number. So do the people who are easy to miss in a headcount: season ticket holders, members, players and cash sales on the gate.
How people get into your ground matters too. Open grounds with no payment, ticket or membership checks are usually left out.
Standard or enhanced?
The law has 2 tiers:
- Standard tier: 200 to 799 people
- Enhanced tier: 800 or more people
A big one-off match can count in its own right. And if you rent or share a ground, it's worth being clear on who's responsible.
What will events have to do?
Grounds in scope will need to notify the regulator, the Security Industry Authority (SIA), and put procedures in place. Bigger grounds have extra requirements, and there are penalties for getting it wrong.
In practice, that means planning for:
- evacuation
- invacuation (moving people to a safer place inside the ground)
- lockdown
- communication on the day
Then preparing your stewards and volunteers to put those plans into action.
Where your ticketing data comes in
You can't plan for a number you've never measured.
INTIX runs ticketing, door sales (cash and card), season tickets and accreditation for events. Those records tell you how many people came through on your biggest days, and ideally who they were. That's the starting point for working out where your club stands.
Join our free webinar with United Outcomes
We've partnered with United Outcomes on a free one-hour webinar that explains, in plain English, what Martyn's Law means for football clubs and what you can do about it.
It's presented by Kevin Purcell, Chief Operating Officer of United Outcomes and a former Chief Superintendent with more than 35 years in policing. The United Outcomes team also includes a former police Match Commander at the Emirates Stadium.
Who should attend: club chairs, secretaries and directors; ground, safety and security officers; matchday, ticketing and operations staff; stewards and volunteers; and County FA and league staff who organise cup finals and events.
Choose the session that suits you. Each one covers the same ground, with a live Q&A at the end.
- Thursday 29 October 2026, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
- Monday 16 November 2026, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
- Tuesday 24 November 2026, 10am to 11am
- Wednesday 9 December 2026, 6pm to 7pm
This article is general information and isn't legal advice. For guidance on your own ground, speak to a qualified adviser.