What is the purpose of the FLA licence?

Section 9 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 makes it an offence to admit spectators to a ground where a designated football match is being played without a licence to admit spectators being in force. A designated football match is defined in the Football Spectators (Designation of Football Matches in England and Wales) Order 2000 SI No. 3331 as:-

"Any association football match which is played at Wembley Stadium, at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff or at a sports ground in England and Wales which is registered with the Football League or the Football Association Premier League as the home ground of a club which is a member of the Football League or the Football Association Premier League at the time the match is played."

The primary purpose of the licence is to ensure compliance with the government’s policy that clubs in the Premiership and Championship must provide all seated accommodation and any standing accommodation at grounds in Football Leagues One and Two are of the prescribed standard.