Fan arrests on rise in England and Wales, West Ham have most cases

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Soccer-related arrests are the on rise in England and Wales, the U.K. government said on Thursday. The most cases were recorded at West Ham matches for the third year in a row.

There were 2,584 football-related arrests in the 2023-24 season — a 14% increase on the previous year, figures released by the Home Office showed.

The government said the rise was driven by arrests relating to the possession of class A drugs and this year’s European Championship in Germany.

The rate of arrests over the season was 5.5 per 100,000 fans attending matches in the top six levels of men’s English soccer, the Welsh league and the top two levels of women’s soccer. Statistics also covered matches involving the England and Wales national teams, the Champions League final staged at Wembley Stadium, and age group matches.

“It is important that these figures are put into context. Last season around 47 million people attended men’s domestic and international matches, the highest number we have on record, and the vast majority of football fans are law-abiding citizens who want to support their team,” said chief constable Mark Roberts, who is the lead for soccer policing in the U.K. “However, there are a small number of fans who commit offences, and we will continue to work closely with (prosecutors) and our other partners to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

According to the figures, there were no arrests at women’s matches, despite their growing popularity and increased attendances.