A total of 2,584 football-related arrests were made during the 2023-24 season across England and Wales, representing an increase from last year’s record breaking figure.
The Home Office revealed figures for the season, revealing a 14 per cent increase from the previous year when 2,264 arrests were made.
The increase has been attributed to a growing number of arrests for possession of class A drugs, which were up by 144 on the previous year.
A further 180 arrests were made in England and Wales in relation to Euro 2024, compared to number for overseas tournaments the previous season.
‘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,’ the Home Office stated.
‘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.
A total of 2,584 football-related arrests were made during the 2023-24 season, figures show
‘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.’
In total, 417 football-related arrests were made at or in connection to national team matches. Of the 291 arrests in England and Wales, 281 related to Euro 2024.
The Home Office added that 126 arrests had been made in Germany during the tournament.
A total of 2,172 football banning orders were in force, as of August 1, representing a 21 per cent increase from the previous year.
This followed 825 new banning orders being issued during the 2023-24 season. The figure is the highest number within a season since 2010 to 2011 – when 960 banning orders were issued.
Men are responsible for 99.4 per cent of banning orders, accounting for 2,159. Around 68 per cent, 1,480 of people subject to orders were aged between 18 and 34. Three per cent of the 58 people subject to orders were aged 17 and under.
West Ham had the highest number of fans arrested and banning orders issued in the season
The club’s involvement in European football in recent seasons has been cited as a factor
West Ham supporters had the highest number of football banning orders in force with 93 – the first time the club have ranked top – followed by Manchester United with 89 and Millwall with 82.
Everton and Leicester completed the top five with 72.
West Ham have also ranked highest for football-related arrests for the third consecutive year, with 103 in 2023-24.
The Premier League club highlighted proactive policing at the London Stadium and playing European football in recent seasons as contributing factors, adding it has robust systems and procedures in place on match days.
A zero-tolerance approach to discrimination from home and away supporters was also noted, with the club adding it works with relevant authorities to re-educate fans who have committed offences.
The club also welcomed the Metropolitan Police’s Violence Against Women and Girls Unit to deliver additional training to staff on matchdays to encourage reporting of incidents.
Man City and Man United both saw 88 fans arrested during the season, with Arsenal and Chelsea completing the top five on 85 and 67.
Leeds United had the largest decrease in arrests, down 46 on the previous season. This followed the club having the largest increase in arrests with 25 in 2022-23.
West Brom had the largest increase in arrests compared to the 2022-23 season, rising from 11 to 51. Of West Brom’s arrests, 38 were in the FA Cup.
The club’s FA Cup home match against Wolves – the Black Country rivals first meeting since 2012 – had been overshadowed by large scale crowd disruption.
West Brom saw the largest increase in arrests during the 2023-24 football season
West Brom’s FA Cup tie with rivals Wolves was suspended for 38 minutes due to crowd trouble
Fights had broken out in the stands and missiles thrown, with fans spilling onto the pitch. The crowd trouble had led to the FA Cup tie being suspended by 38 minutes.
The Home Office has also reported a sizeable increase in record incidents of online hate crime, rising to 423 from 234 the previous season.
A total of 317 of the cases were linked to the men’s domestic season and five to women’s football, while 101 were linked to England internationals.
The Home Office stated the increase is likely due to improved reporting rather than an increase in the number of online hate crime incidents.
