Incidents of disorder were reported at 1,644 football matches across England and Wales last season — the highest figure since records began in 2017-18 — according to Home Office statistics published on 23 July 2026 (BBC Sport).

Of those, 159 were classed as "high severity," up from 106 the previous season. Yet total arrests fell to 1,963, down from 2,004 in 2024-25 and from a recent peak of 2,198 in 2021-22. Arrests for violent disorder specifically dropped by 3%.

So more matches are seeing trouble, but fewer people are being dragged into the legal system. Part of the shift comes from changes to what gets counted. In 2024, possession of Class A drugs was added to football-related arrest statistics. In March 2025, unauthorised entry to a stadium — fans sneaking in without tickets, or using someone else's — became a specific criminal offence under new legislation.

The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), the body that coordinates police operations around football, has been tracking incident data since the 2017-18 season. Never in that time have so many matches produced a report.

For the public purse, the cost is substantial. Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK's football policing lead, said taxpayers shouldered £70 million of police funding for football matches last season. Under the current system, clubs pay for policing inside their stadiums but not for the officers deployed outside — on surrounding streets, at train stations, in city centres.

Roberts wants that to change. He urged football clubs to contribute more, arguing that the burden on taxpayers is too heavy (BBC Sport).

The Home Office shares that concern. According to the House of Commons Library, the department believes the share of football policing costs currently falling to the public is too high (House of Commons Library). The Guardian reported in December 2025 that Premier League clubs fear a Home Office move could add millions to their policing bills (The Guardian).

Not everyone reads the latest numbers as a warning sign. Professor Geoff Pearson of the University of Manchester, a leading researcher in crowd behaviour, said he is not alarmed by the statistics (BBC Sport).

One thread that is harder to dismiss: racist abuse at Premier League matches is up 44% on the same point last season and has reached record levels, according to reporting from February 2026 (The Athletic).

What makes the policing debate live for the average fan is the tension at its centre. Football clubs are businesses that generate billions in revenue, and matchdays bring enormous crowds to town centres that need managing. But supporters already pay for tickets, travel and everything that goes with following a team. If clubs are forced to absorb higher policing costs, some of that bill will inevitably find its way to the turnstile.

For now, the conversation is between the Home Office, police chiefs and club executives. The statistics published this week will sharpen it.