New legislation will require grounds with a 5,000 plus capacity or with a stand capacity of over 500 to take part in a new certification scheme.

The legislation will bring NI into line with the rest of the UK and affects 25 sports grounds and 15 venues.

Football, rugby, GAA, motorsport and horse racing are the sports which are set to come under the new scheme.

Windsor Park, Ravenhill, Casement Park, The Dundrod UGP course and Down Royal are among the venues listed by the government.

Clubs and grounds will be given a year to comply - but could then face a penalty of an unlimited fine or two years imprisonment.

The government is making �9m available through the Sports Council over the next three years for improvements to grounds to enable them to comply with the new safety requirements.

However, the government's overall estimate for the cost of improvements over the next 10 years is �30 million.

It is not yet clear whether further funding will be made available.

Sports Minister David Hanson is introducing the legislation in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

"This has reasonable widespread support and concensus," Mr Hanson told the BBC.

"I think people will recognise that although there is a cost involved the safety of spectators and users of the grounds is paramount."