Football enthusiasts who unlawfully enter stadiums without tickets will face extended bans and substantial fines as a new law is set to be enforced starting this Sunday.
The legislation stems from disgraceful incidents during the Euro 2020 final, where a large number of fans forcibly entered Wembley Stadium. The Home Office announced that fines up to £1,000 and a five-year football prohibition will be imposed on individuals caught tailgating, using counterfeit tickets, or posing as stadium workers.
The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act will be enacted prior to the Carabao Cup Final featuring Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley.
Expressing the need for fan safety, Policing Minister Sarah Jones emphasized the importance of preventing a repeat of the chaos witnessed at Wembley five years ago.
Approximately 2,000 ticketless fans broke into Wembley before the England-Italy match, prompting concerns raised by Baroness Louise Casey about potential fatalities due to inadequate security measures. She stressed that unauthorized entry poses risks to genuine fans and staff, emphasizing the need for strict penalties to deter such behavior.
Until the new law is in effect, there are no specified legal consequences for entering a football match without a ticket.
This development precedes the Euro 2028 tournament jointly hosted by England and Wales, aiming to mitigate risks and ensure a secure environment for football fans to enjoy top-tier matches.