Arsenal and Manchester City tailgaters to be deemed criminals

Arsenal and Manchester City fans will be deemed criminals this weekend should they enter the Carabao Cup final without a football match ticket, the Home Office has announced.

The move, introduced by crime and policing minister Sarah Jones, comes into force today and will cover all of football, and is part of a wider response to a review undertaken following disorder at the Euro 2020 final.

Fines of up to £1,000 will be dished out to fans who try to enter football matches without a ticket, and will be slapped with hefty banning orders should they breach the new laws.

The process is known as “tailgating” and refers to supporters who “force their way through the stadium turnstiles by staying closely behind legitimate ticket holders”.

Carabao Cup criminals

Jones said: “Football fans should be able to enjoy the game without feeling unsafe or threatened. We’re giving the police the tools they need to ensure the chaos we saw at Wembley five years ago never happens again.  

“Anyone who endangers others by forcing their way into stadiums faces serious consequences.” 

There has been a wider clampdown on football behaviour, with Chelsea and Manchester City fans last year threatened with bans from the Club World Cup if they had previously committed “thuggish behaviour”.

And there is a keenness not to see a repeat of the Euro 2020 final in 2028, when a home nations bid hosts the European championships across a number of host cities and stadiums.

The Carabao Cup final takes place on Sunday afternoon with Arsenal looking for a first trophy in a potential quadruple winning season.

Added Baroness Casey of Blackstock: “Forcing your way into a football match without a ticket isn’t harmless. It jeopardises the safety of legitimate fans and staff. 

“Making tailgating a criminal offence makes it clear that this behaviour is dangerous, won’t be tolerated and those who do it will face consequences.”