The number of football matches in England and Wales featuring incidents reported to police reached record levels last season, even as the number of arrests continued to return to pre-Covid figures.
According to an annual report by the Home Office, released on Thursday, there was a 4% increase in the number of matches with reports of “football-related anti-social behaviour, violence and disorder” during the 2025-26 season. Reports were made at 1,644 games, up from 1,580 the previous campaign.
