Key Facts

• On Sunday 11 July 2021, the Euro 2021 final could have resulted in a tragic loss of life according to Baroness Louise Casey's review.
• Between 3,000 and 5,000 ticketless individuals entered Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Football (Offences) Act 1991 to introduce a new offence of unauthorised or attempted unauthorised entry into football matches.
• A conviction for this offence could result in a fine up to £1,000 and a court-imposed football banning order for three to ten years.
• The Bill covers top tiers of domestic football including Premier League, Championship, League One, Two, National League, Women’s Super League, Championship, and Cymru Premier competition.
• It applies to international matches in England and Wales.
• Brennan mentions the importance of maintaining a balance between security enhancements and the inclusive nature of football matches.
• Kevin Brennan's Bill applies to England and Wales.
• At the Euros final, 3,000 to 5,000 people without tickets gained entry through forced mass entry at turnstiles.
• The penalty for unauthorised entry includes a fine not exceeding £1,000 and a mandatory football banning order unless unjustified.
• The Bill was introduced largely due to issues at the UEFA European Football Championship (Euros).
• Other major sports events like rugby world cups have not reported similar unauthorised entry problems.
• There is a suggestion to make provisions proactive and applicable to concerts and other large-scale events.
• The Bill aims to prevent unauthorised entry to events.
• There were issues at a Manchester United game where many fans with valid tickets were locked out due to a ticketing system failure.
• Concerns are raised about accidental inclusion of bystanders in football banning orders.
• The Bill aims to address unauthorised entry into football matches following incidents at Euro 2020.
• The proposed maximum fine is £1,000.
• Banning orders are a significant sanction to prevent repeat offenders.
• The capacity of Wembley Stadium is 90,000.
• The Bill is designed to address security issues at football matches.
• It aims to ensure that fans are not demonised and that laws apply equally in stadiums.
• Evidence-based interventions are proposed to tackle illegal acts such as drugs use.
• The Bill focuses on preventing unauthorised entry to football matches.
• Other sports such as horseracing may attract large crowds but are not currently covered by the legislation in question.
• The Army and Navy rugby match is highlighted for its unique gathering of former military personnel.
• The Bill targets elite football matches in England and Wales.
• Tailgating is a key focus but the legislation covers other methods like jumping over stadium walls or through windows.
• Estimates suggest that around 3,000 to 5,000 England fans without tickets gained entry to the Euro 2020 final through mass forced entry.
• The Bill allows courts to impose football banning orders for between three and ten years.
• The debate on the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill has provided useful discussion.
• The Football Association of Wales also supports the Bill alongside the English Football Association.
• Members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee have supported the Bill, which is reflected in their report.