Home Office data shows that 357 England supporters were arrested for football-related disorder in England and Wales during the 2026 World Cup, while 19 travelling fans were arrested abroad. The figures, released by the Home Office, reveal a contrast between the conduct of fans abroad and those at home.
Arrests abroad and at home
Of the 19 arrests of travelling England fans during the tournament, 16 were made in the United States, three in Mexico and none in Canada. In England and Wales, a further 15 football-related arrests were recorded in connection with tournament matches that did not involve the England national team.
Supporters clashed with Argentina fans outside the Atlanta Stadium following England's 2-1 semi-final defeat. Chaos erupted outside the ground before armed police made multiple arrests after the match.
Domestic season figures
Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for football policing, said the number of arrests was "unacceptably" high despite the fact they exclude related offences such as domestic abuse. He praised those supporters who travelled to North America for their "exemplary" conduct.
Hobrough said the conduct of fans back at home, during the World Cup and the 2025/26 domestic season, was much more troubling. He said: "Though the vast majority of supporters attending domestic fixtures in the UK are law-abiding and enjoy supporting their teams at great games, there still remain an unacceptable number who spoil the event for others."
He added: "2,025 people were arrested for football-related incidents during the domestic season in 2025-26, and disappointingly this number is up from 2,004 in 2024-25. In addition, 357 people were arrested in England and Wales for football-related incidents during the 2026 World Cup alone."
Broader context and response
The Home Office first released data related to the 2025-26 season in July, which showed 1,963 football-related arrests or police actions. The new data showed an increase to 2,025. The total number of arrests for 2025-26 — covering the domestic season, the World Cup at home and in North America, plus arrests outside England and Wales at European games — was 2,403, down on 2023-24's total of 2,584, which was the last season that ended with a men's international tournament.
Hobrough said the figures do not include many associated offences, such as domestic abuse, which often occur behind closed doors after the full-time whistle. He said: "Sadly, these figures do not paint a full picture as they do not include many of the associated offences, such as domestic abuse, which often occur behind closed doors after the full-time whistle has blown and in many cases nowhere near any stadium or club with individuals who've not attended any game themselves."
He said authorities would continue to work with partners including the Crown Prosecution Service, the Premier League, the EFL and the Football Association to make football a safe environment for supporters.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the Football Supporters' Association, said: "It's good to see the positive behaviour of England's travelling fans during the World Cup recognised by the authorities but we have concerns about how the overall dataset is presented." He added: "What it tells us about matchdays is distorted by the inclusion of arrests which should not be included. You can be arrested in a pub in the UK while watching a match on TV which takes place 5,000 miles away and that becomes a football arrest."
Earlier this year, it emerged domestic abuse reports during the tournament reached record highs in the UK. In total, 384 domestic violence incidents were reported during the tournament — representing 17 per cent of the 2,322 incidents reported. Ninety-three per cent occurred around England's matches and only Euro 2020 recorded more. The rise has been described as a worrying increase, with alcohol once again viewed as the lead contributing factor.
