This guidance sets out information for the public and sport providers on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID restrictions.

What this guidance covers

Sport and physical activity play a hugely important role in our lives, however to uphold wider public health objectives, limits have been placed on some activities and settings in order to limit social contact and reduce transmission.

Staying active is a vital weapon against COVID-19, which is why people will always be able to, and encouraged to, exercise even during periods of tough restrictions. People should try to ensure they exercise regularly in a way that suits them, as physical activity plays a vital role in both our physical and mental wellbeing.

This guidance sets out information for the public and sport providers on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID-19 restrictions. Sport providers should use this guidance to inform how they provide grassroots sport and physical activity, alongside specific guidance for their sport set out by their national governing body. There is also more detailed advice for national governing bodies and other organisations on how to develop their own sport-specific guidance, which includes the team sport framework, contact combat sport framework, and guidance on delivering sport participation events (such as races and organised walking groups).

Understanding ‘organised sport’

Where the rules mention ‘organised’ sport, this means sport which is formally organised by a qualified instructor, club, national governing body, company or charity and follows sport-specific guidance. If the sport is not organised by one of these groups (for example, some friends having a kickabout) or the sport’s NGB guidance is not being followed (for example, a football club ignoring the FA’s safety measures), this is considered to be informal or self-organised sport.

Taking part in organised sport sometimes means that other restrictions such as legal gathering limits don’t apply when taking part. This is because the organising body has considered the risks and set out ways to mitigate them so people can participate safely. Informal or self-organised sport is not covered by any exemptions.

Organised outdoor sport

• Outdoor sport for adults and children is permitted in larger numbers, provided it is formally organised (for example, by a national governing body or a qualified instructor – see the section on understanding ‘organised sport’ for more information) and follows COVID-secure guidance.
• Organised sport and supervised children’s sport and physical activity can take place outdoors in any number, but people should maintain the rules on social contact before and after sporting activity. This applies to organised outdoor (individual and team) sports, outdoor exercise classes, organised sports participation events and outdoor licensed physical activity.
• Participants should adhere to social distancing when not actively participating (e.g. during breaks in play, or when awaiting substitutions). Social interaction before and after playing any sport should only take place outdoors, and in separate and distinct groups consisting of up to 6 people or two households.
• Sports which require participants to be in frequent close proximity to each other (such as rugby league, rugby union, netball, contact combat sports) should adapt both training and game-play to reduce the level of contact so far as reasonably possible and take steps to minimise risk.
• Where sport is not formally organised, it can only take place within the rules on social contact above – in groups of up to 6 people, or two households.