England fans praised for 'excellent' World Cup behaviour in US

England supporters attending the World Cup in the United States have been praised by police for their “excellent” behaviour during the group stage, with no reports of violence or disorder. The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) confirmed that only two of the five arrests involving England fans occurred at a match, and all five have been released by American authorities and referred to the UKFPU.

Domestic incidents rise sharply

Despite the positive reports from the US, football-related incidents in England and Wales have increased significantly compared to recent tournaments. According to UKFPU data, there have been 463 such incidents during the group stage, compared to 304 at the same stage of Euro 2024 and 291 during the 2022 World Cup.

Of these incidents, 162 took place in licensed premises, while 109 were classified as domestic incidents, often involving family members over the age of 16. A total of 88 people have been arrested, up from 66 at Euro 2024 and 56 at the 2022 World Cup. Many arrests fall under the Public Order Act, covering anti-social behaviour including swearing, shouting, intimidation, and violence.

Scotland fans also commended

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU, also praised the behaviour of Scotland fans in the US, though their figures are not included in the report. “The behaviour of England fans – and of course the Scots – has been excellent throughout the group stages of the World Cup,” Roberts said. “In our pre-briefs we stressed to local law enforcement the positive record of our fans at recent World Cups, and it is great to see that continuing and the fans being policed according to their behaviour, not an outdated reputation.”

Pre-tournament measures

Before the World Cup began, 1,958 football supporters subject to football banning orders were required to surrender their passports to prevent them from travelling to the tournament. This measure is part of ongoing efforts to curb potential disorder.