ABSTRACT
Many horrific disasters have occurred in crowding situations involving football fans in the United Kingdom (UK) and abroad. A near-disaster occurred in 1923 at the first FA Cup Final to be played at the new Wembley Stadium. The Popplewell inquiry's recommendations would eventually lead to the introduction of new legislation to improve safety at football grounds, the Fire Safety and Safety at Places of Sports Act 1987 and the Safety of Sports Grounds Regulations 1987. On 15 April 1989 Sheffield Wednesday's ground at Hillsborough, Sheffield, was packed for an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. A fracas between rival fans at a European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus held at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels led to Juventus supporters panicking as they attempted to escape, pressing against a wall that suddenly collapsed around them.
