Attending a football match without a ticket will become a criminal offense under new laws coming into force ahead of the English League Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
It was at the national stadium where thousands of ticketless people crowded in in violent and chaotic scenes for the European Championship final in July 2021.
That led to a government investigation, which found that lives were at risk, that sanctions for breaking into stadiums were weak and that the practice of what the British call ‘tailgating’ – walking close behind ticket holders to get through the entrance – should be made a criminal offense.
Offenders in England and Wales will face a five-year ban from football as well as a fine of up to £1,000 from this weekend, it was announced on Friday.
Sarah Jones, the government’s police minister, said it would be a «major deterrent».
“It can’t be right,” she said, “that some people pay and some don’t, and that people are put in danger when people tailgating.”
Previously, there were no specific legal penalties for attending a football match without a ticket.
The law on unauthorized entry to football matches will also make it illegal to knowingly enter a match with forged tickets, passes and accreditation documents, and to impersonate a member of the stadium or playing staff.
Published on March 20, 2026
