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Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act 2026

The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act 2026 amends the Football (Offences) Act 1991 to create a specific offence of entering, or attempting to enter, a designated football match in England and Wales without a ticket that a person is eligible to use.

The Home Office issued a news item ahead of the act coming into force on 22 March 2026. As this explains, a football banning order of up to 5 years and a fine of up to £1,000 can be imposed against a person found guilty of the offence.

Background to the act

The Casey review, published in December 2021, examined the disorder surrounding the UEFA Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium in July 2021. The review found, among other things, that “sanctions for those breaking into football stadiums and/or recklessly endangering lives is weak”. It recommended that “tailgating” should become a criminal offence.

Kevin Brennan (now Lord Brennan of Canton) introduced the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill 2023-24 to the House of Commons on 6 December 2023. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee welcomed the bill in its report on Safety at Major Sporting Events (PDF)(December 2023). The Sunak government supported the bill, but it did not complete its parliamentary stages before the 2024 general election.

Linsey Farnworth (Labour) introduced the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill, a two clause Private Members’ Bill, on 28 November 2024. This differed from the earlier bill in that it also applies to electronic tickets.

The bill had its second reading, without debate, on 7 March 2025. During the bill's committee stage on 25 June 2025, Diana Johnson, then Minister for Crime and Policing, said the government supported the bill. The bill was not amended in committee and it completed its stages in the House of Commons on 11 July 2025. 

Lord Brennan of Canton introduced the bill in the House of Lords on 14 July 2025. Second reading took place on 24 October. No amendments were tabled for committee stage and no member of the Lords indicated a wish to speak in committee. Third reading of the bill took place on 16 January 2026. It received Royal Assent on 22 January 2026.

What are designated football matches?

Under the Football (Offences) (Designation of Football Matches) Order 2004,  “designated football matches” are matches that involve one or more teams that compete in the top five tiers of men’s domestic football competition, the top two tiers of women’s domestic football competition, the top tier of Welsh men’s football competition, or that represent a country or territory.