New law aims to boost fan safety at football matches
- Published
New laws are being introduced in England and Wales aimed at making football matches safer.
From this week, it will be a criminal offence to enter a football stadium without a valid ticket.
The change comes just before the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Anyone caught sneaking into a match could face a fine of up to £1,000 and be banned from attending football games for up to five years.
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The new law was introduced after serious trouble at the Euro 2020 final in July 2021, also held at Wembley stadium.
During that match between England and Italy, thousands of people forced their way into the stadium without tickets.
A report later found that around 2,000 people got in illegally, with multiple gates and doors being broken open.
Experts warned the situation could have led to people being very badly hurt, due to overcrowding.
One common method used is called "tailgating", where someone follows closely behind a person with a valid ticket to slip through the turnstiles. The new rules also make it illegal to use fake tickets or pretend to be stadium staff.
Before this law, people caught entering without a ticket were usually just removed from the stadium, with no further punishment. Now, police have stronger powers to act.
Policing minister Sarah Jones said fans "should be able to enjoy the game without feeling unsafe or threatened".
It's hoped the law will prevent dangerous overcrowding and make big matches safer for everyone ahead of major tournaments like Euro 2028, when England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland will host.
Mark Lynch, Stadium Director at Wembley, said: "Attempts to tailgate or force entry into football stadiums places a huge strain on crowd safety teams and puts legitimate ticket holders at risk of overcrowding or injury.
"This new legislation will make football safer for fans with genuine tickets, and we are pleased that it will come into effect ahead of a busy period of football matches at Wembley Stadium."
