Brentford working with police after rugby ball kicked toward pitch in Liverpool defeat
Brentford's 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool on Saturday is no longer just about the points. The club is working with police after a rugby ball was kicked from height towards the pitch during the Premier League game at Gtech Community Stadium in London.
Video shared on social media appears to show a man standing on a rooftop near the stadium kicking the ball towards the ground. Others can be heard laughing and cheering as he does it. The match in question was played on 17 October 2026, according to Reuters.
A separate clip filmed from inside the ground shows the rugby ball on the grass while play continued. A member of staff walks on, picks it up and carries it away. No stoppage followed. No players appeared to be hit.
Brentford have condemned the behaviour as dangerous and potentially very harmful. The club says the matter has been referred to the police and it is supporting the authorities in their investigation, according to BBC Sport. It says work to identify those responsible could lead to criminal prosecution.
It was already a bruising afternoon on the pitch for the hosts. Yehor Yarmolyuk and Vitaly Janelt were both sent off in the second half, meaning each was shown a red card and ordered off for the rest of the game. That left Brentford to finish with nine men instead of eleven. Liverpool held on to win 2-1.
The defeat leaves Brentford sixth in the Premier League table, England's top division. Liverpool took all three points on the road. For a club the size of Brentford, every home game against one of the league's biggest names carries weight.
What makes this stand out is the risk involved. A ball dropped or kicked from a rooftop picks up speed fast. Even a relatively light, odd-shaped ball like a rugby ball can cause serious injury if it strikes a player, official or supporter below.
For fans who were there, the wait is now for answers. The police investigation will focus on identifying the rooftop and those involved. Brentford say they want those responsible found.
