Official Statistics

Football-related arrests and banning orders, England and Wales: 2023 to 2024 season

Published 26 September 2024

Applies to England and Wales

This release includes data, trends and football club comparisons on:

• football arrests (arrests covered by Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989, ‘football-related arrests’ made outside England and Wales, and other offences connected with regulated football matches such as theft (listed as ‘other arrests’))
• football banning orders (a court decision to prevent violence or disorder at, or in connection with, regulated football matches)
• reported incidents of football-related anti-social behaviour, violence and disorder (submitted to the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) by police dedicated football officers (DFOs); these reports may include information from organisations such as the Football Association (FA) and Kick It Out)
• online hate crime connected to football (offences reported to relevant bodies such as the FA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Kick It Out or a police force, and that meet threshold tests)

The user guide provides additional information on the coverage of the data, quality and methodology, information on the conventions used in the statistics, and relevant legislation.

The accompanying data tables provide supplementary data to this release.

1. Summary of statistics

1.1 Football-related arrests

In the 2023 to 2024 football season there were 2,584 football-related arrests, a 14% increase (+320) compared with the 2022 to 2023 season, driven by an increase in arrests for the possession of class A drugs (+144) and arrests made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments (+180).

1.2 Football banning orders

Data taken on 1 August 2024 showed there were a total of 2,172 football banning orders in force in England and Wales, an increase of 34% compared with 1 August 2023 (1,624). Within the 2023 to 2024 football season, 825 new banning orders were issued, an increase of 21% compared with the 2022 to 2023 football season.

1.3 Reported incidents at football matches

Incidents were reported at 1,341 football matches in England and Wales during the 2023 to 2024 football season. The number of matches with reported incidents decreased by 12% (-175 matches) compared with 1,516 matches in the 2022 to 2023 season.

1.4 Collection of data

In the 2023 to 2024 football season, the system used by UKFPU to record details of football related arrests, incidents and football banning orders was replaced with a new database.

Various measures were taken by UKFPU and the Home Office to maintain data quality, including quality assurance and duplication checks, and comparing data from both systems and previous seasons. Whilst these measures were able to identify and rectify most migration issues, the quality of details recorded is subject to inaccuracies inherent within all large-scale recording systems, particularly during the transition phase. Notably, the way that incident data was entered onto the system changed from selecting options about the match as a whole on one screen, to a more detailed recording of the events that occurred over multiple screens, and therefore it is possible there has been under recording of some categories within matches identified as having multiple incident types as recording practices adjusted.

2. Football-related arrests

Statistics on football-related arrests are submitted by the 43 Home Office police forces in England and Wales, and by the British Transport Police (BTP), to the UKFPU. Within this report, ‘football-related arrests’ are arrests for offences under Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 and comparable arrests made outside England and Wales. These include football-specific offences (such as entering the pitch and throwing missiles inside a stadium) and other offences connected with regulated football matches, such as assault, criminal damage and the possession of weapons.

Regulated football matches in England and Wales include matches involving English and Welsh clubs in the top 6 levels of men’s English football (Premier League to National League North and South), the Cymru Premier, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, matches involving the national teams of England and Wales, matches such as the UEFA Champions League final and some associated age group matches (including under 18 and above).

A person may be arrested at a football match for an offence not included in Schedule 1, for example theft. These arrests are listed as ‘other arrests’.

2.1 2,584 football-related arrests in 2023 to 2024 season

During the 2023 to 2024 football season, there were 2,584 football-related arrests reported in connection with regulated domestic and international football matches involving English and Welsh clubs and the national teams. This was a 14% (+320) increase compared with the 2022 to 2023 season, driven by an increase in arrests for the possession of class A drugs (+144) and arrests made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments (+180; of which all related to Euro 2024).

Possession of class A drugs became a Schedule 1 offence in November 2022 during the 2022 to 2023 season, and arrests made in England and Wales for offences committed in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments have only been included since the 2022 to 2023 season. Therefore, the increase in arrests relating to these is likely to be due in part to enhanced and improved recording and reporting of these as football-related arrests.

Excluding arrests for the possession of class A drugs (344) and arrests made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments (281; of which all related to Euro 2024 in Germany), there were 1,959 arrests in the 2023 to 2024 season, a similar number to the 2022 to 2023 season (1,963; excluding arrests for class A drugs and arrests made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments).

Prior to the 2019 to 2020 season, there was a downward trend in football-related arrests; a decrease of 26% over 4 seasons, from 1,873 in the 2014 to 2015 season to 1,381 in the 2018 to 2019 season (before COVID-19). Following COVID-19, the number of arrests, excluding those related to the possession of class A drugs and those made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments, increased to levels similar to the 2014 to 2015 and 2015 to 2016 seasons.

Figure 1: Football-related arrests, from 2014 to 2015 football season to 2023 to 2024 football season

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, Table 5

Notes:

1. Figures include arrests at all regulated international and domestic football matches involving English and Welsh clubs and the national teams, played in the UK and overseas.

There were an additional 96 football-related arrests under Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 by BTP, and 379 ‘other’ arrests in the 2023 to 2024 football season.

Around half (49%; 1,267) of arrests in the 2023 to 2024 football season took place inside the football ground, and the majority of arrests were of supporters of clubs in the top 5 divisions in English football (2,043; 79%).

There were no arrests reported in relation to women’s regulated football matches.

2.2 Majority of arrests in connection with internationals related to men’s Euro 2024

During the 2023 to 2024 football season, there were 417 football-related arrests at or in connection with national team matches (16% of total arrests). Of these, 291 were made in England and Wales, with 281 relating to Euro 2024 in Germany. 126 of the 417 arrests relating to national team matches were made overseas and all related to Euro 2024 in Germany.

There were 123 arrests connected to national team matches in the 2022 to 2023 season (of which 101 were arrests made in England and Wales relating to the World Cup in Qatar).

Football-related arrests made in England and Wales connected to an overseas tournament have only been included since the 2022 to 2023 season. Therefore, the increase in these arrests may be due in part to improved recording and reporting.

There were 125 football-related arrests at or in connection with European competition matches in the 2023 to 2024 season (matches where an English or Welsh team (not including the national teams) played in a European tournament), of which 8% (10) occurred abroad.

2.3 Most common arrest offence type was public disorder

The most common football-related arrest offence types were public disorder (43%), violent disorder (19%), and the possession of class A drugs (13%; this became a Schedule 1 offence in November 2022), as shown in Figure 2.

Over the past decade, the proportion of arrests by offence type has remained relatively stable, with the exception of alcohol offences, which have decreased over time (from 34% in the 2010 to 2011 season to 6% in the 2023 to 2024 season) and arrests for public disorder, which have increased over time (from 35% in the 2010 to 2011 season to 43% in the 2023 to 2024 season). Arrests for public disorder increased by 42% (+326) compared with the 2022 to 2023 season and are the highest since comparable records began in the 2010 to 2011 season.

Figure 2: Football-related arrests by offence type, from 2014 to 2015 football season to 2023 to 2024 football season

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, Table 5

Notes:

1. Figures include arrests at all regulated international and domestic football matches involving English and Welsh clubs and the national teams, played in the UK and overseas.
2. Alcohol offences include driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
3. Other includes throwing missiles, racist and indecent chanting, ticket touting, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of pyrotechnics, failing to comply with the terms of a banning order and criminal damage and or offences against the property.

2.4 West Ham United had highest number of arrests for third consecutive year

For supporters of clubs in the top 5 divisions, there were 2,043 football-related arrests, a similar number to the 2022 to 2023 season (2,037). Around half (54%; 1,101) of the 2,043 football-related arrests were of supporters at away matches. The club with the highest number of supporters arrested in the 2023 to 2024 season was West Ham United for the third consecutive year, with 103 arrests, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Clubs with the highest number of supporters arrested, 2023 to 2024 football season

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, Table 4

In the 2023 to 2024 season, Leeds United had the largest decrease in arrests compared to the 2022 to 2023 season (-46). This follows a large increase in arrests in the 2022 to 2023 season (+25).

West Bromwich Albion had the largest increase in arrests compared with the 2022 to 2023 season (from 11 to 51 arrests). Of the 51 arrests, 38 were at the FA Cup competition.

2.5 Highest recorded attendance at regulated football matches

Over the 2023 to 2024 season, around 47 million people attended men’s domestic and international matches, the highest number recorded since this data collection began (in the 2014 to 2015 season). With 2,563 arrests, the arrest rate for the 2023 to 2024 season was 5.5 arrests per 100,000 attendees, higher than the previous season (4.9). Excluding arrests made in England and Wales relating to overseas tournaments, there were 4.9 arrests per 100,000 attendees in the 2023 to 2024 season and 4.7 arrests per 100,000 attendees in the 2022 to 2023 season. There were no arrests reported in relation to women’s regulated football matches.

Arrests relating to international competitions had the highest arrest rate at 34.8 arrests per 100,000 attendees, driven by the 407 arrests made in connection with Euro 2024 (including 281 arrests made in England and Wales relating to Euro 2024 in Germany). Excluding the 281 arrests made in England and Wales relating to Euro 2024 in Germany, the arrest rate for international competitions was 11.4 per 100,000 attendees. European club competitions and the English Football League Championship had the lowest arrest rates of 3.7 arrests per 100,000 attendees.

Figure 4: Football-related arrest rate per 100,000 attendees by competition, 2023 to 2024 football season

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, Table 10; Attendance figures from the Utilita Football Yearbook 2024 to 2025

Notes:

1. Figures include arrests at or relating to all regulated international and domestic football matches involving English and Welsh clubs and the national teams, played in the UK and overseas.
2. Does not include ‘other’ competitions which include ‘Community Shield’, ‘Under-21 internationals’ and ‘domestic pre-season friendlies’, or women’s regulated football matches.
3. Does not include competitions with less than 30 arrests.
4. The arrest rate for international matches includes 281 people arrested in England and Wales relating to Euro 2024 in Germany.

2.6 Football-related arrests by British Transport Police similar to last season

In the 2023 to 2024 football season, there were 96 football-related arrests under Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 reported by the BTP in connection with regulated international and domestic football matches involving English and Welsh clubs and the national teams. This compares with 98 in the 2022 to 2023 football season.

The most common BTP Schedule 1 arrest offence type was public disorder (40%; 38 arrests). Public disorder was the most common offence type for BTP arrests in all previous seasons since the data collection began, excluding the 2020 to 2021 season which was impacted by COVID-19. For more information on football-related arrests by the BTP see the user guide.

2.7 Decrease in ‘other arrests’ compared with 2022 to 2023 season

A person may be arrested at a football match for an offence not covered by Schedule 1, which can include possession of class B drugs (such as cannabis) and theft. These arrests are described as ‘other arrests’.

In the 2023 to 2024 football season, there were 379 ‘other arrests’ in connection with regulated matches in England and Wales (including those by the BTP). This compares with 476 in the 2022 to 2023 football season, a 20% decrease. The way in which ‘other arrests’ are recorded means that it is not possible for these to be published by offence type. For more information see the user guide.

From 17 November 2022, the offence of possession of class A drugs when entering, attempting to enter or inside a stadium, was added to Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989. These were previously recorded as ‘other arrests’.

3. Football banning orders

Football banning orders (FBO) in England and Wales are made by the courts to help prevent violence or disorder at, or in connection with, regulated football matches. An individual with a banning order is prevented from attending all regulated matches in the UK and may be required to hand over their passport to the police before overseas matches and tournaments. Banning orders are issued by courts in England and Wales either following a conviction for a football-related offence or following a complaint by a local police force, BTP, or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A football banning order lasts for between 3 and 10 years. In cases where a person is not imprisoned for the relevant offence, a banning order can last for a maximum 5 years. In cases where the person was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for the relevant offence, an order lasts for a maximum of 10 years. For more information, see the user guide.

3.1 Highest number of new football banning orders since the 2010 to 2011 season

During the 2023 to 2024 season there were 825 new banning orders issued, an increase of 21% (+143) compared with the 2022 to 2023 season, and the highest number issued within a season since 2010 to 2011 (when 960 banning orders were issued).

Data taken on 1 August 2024 shows there were a total of 2,172 football banning orders in force. This is an increase of 34% compared with 1 August 2023 (1,624).

In August 2023, the CPS updated its legal guidance to state that prosecutors must pursue an FBO on conviction of a relevant offence (for example, those offences listed in Schedule 1 to the Football Spectators Act 1989) unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing so. Prior to August 2023, the guidance stated that prosecutors could impose an FBO on conviction of a Schedule 1 arrest. This change may have contributed to the increase in the number of new FBOs issued in the 2023 to 2024 season.

Figure 5: Number of football banning orders in force in England and Wales, from 2014 to 2015 football season to 2023 to 2024 football season

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, Table 1

Notes:

1. Extraction dates of new banning order data varied slightly year-on-year. See the data tables for data extraction dates.

An individual can have multiple bans. Therefore, the number of bans is not equal to the number of individuals who have a ban.

3.2 Most football banning orders issued to males aged 18 to 34

Of the 2,172 football banning orders in force on 1 August 2024, almost all (99.4%; 2,159) were issued to males. Around 68% (1,480) of persons subject to orders were aged between 18 and 34 and 3% (58) of persons subject to orders were aged 17 and under.

3.3 West Ham supporters had highest number of football banning orders in force

In the 2023 to 2024 season, West Ham United supporters had the highest number of football banning orders in force (93) across all football clubs in England and Wales, ranking top for the first time since records began in the 2014 to 2015 season. Manchester United had the second highest number of football banning orders in force (89) having ranked first in the 2022 to 2023 season. Millwall supporters had the third highest number of football banning orders in force (82) and for the third consecutive season they ranked in the top 5. As banning orders last between 3 and 10 years, movement in this ranking is slow. The top 5 clubs with the highest number of football banning orders in force are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Clubs with the highest number of football banning orders in force, 2023 to 2024 and 2022 to 2023 season

Football club	2023 to 2024 season	2023 to 2024 season	2022 to 2023 season	2022 to 2023 season
	Football banning orders in force	Ranking	Football banning orders in force	Ranking
West Ham United	93	1	52	5
Manchester United	89	2	69	1
Millwall	82	3	66	2
Everton	72	4 (joint)	51	6
Leicester City	72	4 (joint)	56	3

Source: Home Office, Football-related arrests and banning order statistics, England and Wales, 2023 to 2024 season, open data table

In the 2023 to 2024 season, West Ham United (49), Everton (30) and Arsenal (28) supporters were issued the highest number of new football banning orders.

A banning order may be imposed by a court in a season after the incident happened, so some relate to arrests from previous seasons. An order can only be made by a court, which means the time between an arrest and the order being made can vary in length. For example, an individual arrested during the 2023 to 2024 football season would be included in the 2023 to 2024 arrest figures, but a football banning order may not be made until later. This means the football banning order would form part of the figures of a future year’s release.

4. Reported incidents at football matches

Reported incidents include football-related anti-social behaviour, violence and disorder involving supporters of English and Welsh clubs and the national teams when playing in England and Wales. Reports of incidents are submitted to UKFPU by police DFOs. These reports may be informed by information from partner organisations such as the FA and Kick It Out.

Figures in this section relate to the number of football matches where an incident was reported, not the number of individual incidents. Multiple incidents may be reported at each match. The way that DFOs entered incident data onto the system changed during the 2023 to 2024 season, from selecting options about the match as a whole on one screen to a more detailed recording of the events that occurred over multiple screens, and therefore it is possible there was under recording of some categories within matches identified as having multiple incident types as recording practices adjusted.

4.1 Incidents reported at 44% of football matches

In the 2023 to 2024 football season, 3,048 regulated football matches involving men’s English and Welsh clubs and the national teams (when playing in England and Wales) were recorded, and of these, incidents were reported at 1,340 matches (44%). This compares with 3,024 recorded matches in the 2022 to 2023 season, of which 1,516 had incidents reported (50%). The number of matches with reported incidents decreased by 12% (-175 matches) compared with 1,516 matches in the 2022 to 2023 season.

There was one incident reported at women’s regulated football matches in the 2023 to 2024 season.

4.2 74% of matches with incidents were categorised as low severity

A post-match incident report assessment is made after each regulated football match and allocates a low, medium, or high severity category to each match depending on the severity of incidents that happened before, during and after the match.

In the 2023 to 2024 football season, there were 996 matches with low severity incidents (74%), 268 matches with medium severity incidents (20%) and 77 matches with high severity incidents (6%). Compared with the 2022 to 2023 football season, there was an increase in matches with low severity incidents (+6%) and decreases in matches with medium severity incidents (-39%) and high severity incidents (-45%).

4.3 Most common incidents involved throwing missiles and pyrotechnics

Figures on reported incidents are available by type of incident. More than one incident type may be reported at each match, so the total number of the incident types is greater than the number of matches where an incident was reported.

The most commonly reported types of incidents involved throwing missiles (at 416 matches) and pyrotechnics (at 394 matches).

There were also 311 matches involving spontaneous incidents (for example, supporters engaging in disorder which is not organised or pre-planned) and 258 matches where public order or anti-social behaviour incidents involving youth supporters were recorded, (these involve supporters aged 18 or under in planned or spontaneous incidents at or in connection with a football event).

Hate crime incidents were reported in relation to 341 matches (11% of total matches). Of these, 226 were related to race, 113 to sexual orientation, 13 to religion, 12 to disability and 7 to gender identity.

For more information on reported incidents at football matches, see Tables 11 to 13.

5. Online hate crime incidents connected to football

From 1 July 2022, football-related online hate crime offences were added to Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989, and statistics on these have been included within this publication for the third time. They are designated as official statistics in development to acknowledge that they are new and that further development of the data collection and quality assurance is needed.

Online hate crime connected to football is defined as ‘any electronic communication that appears to breach the law on protected characteristics that is directed towards a player, manager, coach, club, football authority, match official or football personality, where there is a clear link to football’. Incidents that are included have met specific criteria and passed a series of ‘threshold tests’ relating to the content of the post, the time and place it occurred and the evidence available. See the CPS guidance on hate crime offences involving electronic communications and the user guide for more information.

In the 2023 to 2024 season there were 423 recorded incidents of online hate crime connected to football. Of these, 322 (76%) were linked to the domestic season (317 linked to men’s and 5 linked to women’s football) and 101 (24%) were linked to England internationals (of these, 89 were related to the men’s Euros in Germany).

In the 2022 to 2023 season there were 234 recorded incidents of online hate crime connected to football. Of these, 133 (57%) were linked to the domestic season and 101 (43%) were linked to England internationals (of these, 85 were related to the 2022 men’s World Cup and 14 were related to the 2023 women’s World Cup).

The increase in the number of online hate crime incidents in the 2023 to 2024 season is likely due to improved reporting, and the use of more standardised methods of recording, rather than an increase in the number of online hate crime incidents over this time.

For more information see the ‘online hate crime connected to football’ section of the user guide.

‘Football-related arrests and banning order statistics’ is an official statistics output produced to the highest professional standards and free from political interference. It has been produced by statisticians working in the Home Office Analysis and Insight Directorate in accordance with the Home Office’s ‘Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for official statistics’ which covers policies on revisions and other matters. The Home Office Chief Statistician and Head of Profession for statistics reports to the National Statistician with respect to all professional statistical matters, oversees all Home Office official statistics products with respect to the Code of Practice and is responsible for their timing, content and methodology.

6. Forthcoming and previous statistical releases

Frequency of release: Annual

Publications are pre-announced on the Home Office statistics release calendar.

Previous statistical releases are available on the football-related arrests and banning orders statistics collection page.

7. Feedback and enquiries

Home Office statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly at [email protected] with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing [email protected] or via the OSR website.

Home Office responsible statistician: Jenny Bradley

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