Standing ban to be lifted for Premier League and Championship fixtures

From as early as this season, English football could welcome back standing crowds at Premier League and Championship clubs.

In anticipation of the change in legislation, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have all installed rail seating over the summer.

An announcement is set to be made in the next month, the BBC reported this weekend.

Safe standing areas

If introduced, it would be the first time in 25 years that fans would be legally allowed to stand as they watch their team.

In 1994, the law in England changed to require all fans in English and Welsh stadiums to sit throughout the match, but fans have always continued to stand.

It came after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, when over 90 fans were unlawfully killed.

The 97th victim, Andrew Devine, died last month, 32 years after suffering severe and irreversible brain damage at Hillsborough.

The coroner ruled in July that the 55-year-old was also therefore unlawfully killed and is legally a victim of the disaster.