England fans were 'impeccably behaved' at the World Cup in the US, police chiefs said today. But it was a very different picture at home, with the highest number of football-related arrests in the UK since Euro 2020. The World Cup saw a shocking rise in incidents of domestic violence, disorder and online hate.
Domestic violence and disorder rise
Mark Roberts, the head of UK Football Policing, warned that alcohol and the relaxation of licensing laws in England, announced with only 48 hours' notice, contributed to the disturbing rise in violence. A total of 2,322 incidents were reported to the police, with 391 arrests. The number of incidents rose at pubs and bars as the tournament progressed.
There were 1,487 incidents linked to the Russia 2018 World Cup, with 337 arrests; 573 linked to the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and 1,302 at Euro 2024, with 321 arrests. At the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, held in the summer of 2021, there were 2,345 incidents and 599 arrests, with shocking scenes of violence before the final at Wembley.
Online abuse and public safety concerns
Mr Roberts added: 'This was the worst tournament we have seen domestically for some time, the worst since Euro 2020. That is a real concern for us as we are hosting the tournament in 2028. Domestic abuse was a real factor. It is not just about football. Alcohol and drugs play a big role. So it is a societal issue, not a footballing one.'
'Online abuse, typically of a racist nature, also increased again. There was a rise in incidents at licensed premises. A significant number were reported to police; there was an additional round so England played an extra game, which needs to be factored in.'
Fans abroad praised
Cheshire Police Chief Constable Mr Roberts said: 'The fans' behaviour at the World Cup was really good again. We have to get rid of the outdated image of our fans based on historical behaviour.'
'We asked police to judge our fans on their actions and not any preconceptions and police in the US and Mexico did that. Our fans got into the spirit of it, both England and Scotland fans were there to have a really good time.' There were only 22 arrests at the England World Cup games abroad in total, including ticket touting.
In the US, by contrast, England fans helped make their games a 'memorable experience' for the host cities. Mr Roberts praised the work of the FA and the Football Supporters Association in keeping fans informed while travelling abroad. It was estimated that around 10,000 to 13,000 fans travelled from the UK to group games in the US, with a huge number also travelling to Mexico for the round of 32 game at the Azteca stadium.
