Football fans face criminal record for tailgating as Arsenal and Man City Carabao Cup final looms

The new law comes into force before Arsenal face Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday, marking a significant shift in how authorities can tackle unauthorised stadium access.

Previously, supporters caught entering grounds without tickets faced little more than ejection, with no specific legal penalties available to police.

The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act represents the government's response to serious crowd disorder that plagued the Euro 2020 final at the same venue nearly five years ago.

Those found guilty under the new legislation face football banning orders lasting up to five years, alongside fines reaching £1,000.

The act specifically targets the practice known as tailgating, whereby individuals without tickets slip through turnstiles by following closely behind genuine ticket holders.

Attempting to enter venues using counterfeit tickets, falsified passes or fake accreditation documents will also constitute an offence under the new rules.

Additionally, the law criminalises posing as stadium staff to gain access.

Until this legislation, police seeking to prosecute ticketless intruders could only pursue suspected fraud charges, which rarely resulted in successful convictions.

The change provides officers with dedicated legal tools to address unauthorised entry directly.

The legislation stems from findings in a Football Association-commissioned review led by Baroness Casey, which examined the chaotic scenes during England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy in July 2021.

Her report concluded that approximately 2,000 individuals gained illegal entry to Wembley that evening, with the disorder potentially having fatal consequences.

Investigators documented 17 separate mass breaches involving disabled access gates and emergency fire exits.

Baroness Casey determined that existing sanctions for breaking into stadiums were inadequate and recommended criminalising tailgating.

Policing minister Sarah Jones emphasised the importance of the new measures for supporter welfare.

"Football fans should be able to enjoy the game without feeling unsafe or threatened," she said.

"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."

The strengthened legislation arrives as the country prepares to welcome major international football to its shores once more.

England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland will jointly host Euro 2028, making robust crowd management measures particularly timely.

Italy claimed the Euro 2020 title after defeating England on penalties in that troubled final.