England is set to face the DR Congo this Wednesday during the round of 32 at the World Cup. Amidst this, the UK Football Policing Unit has lauded England supporters in the United States for their exemplary conduct throughout the group stage.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who leads the UKFPU, noted that local law enforcement in the U.S. reported no violence or disorder among traveling England fans. Only two out of five total arrests occurred at actual tournament matches. Roberts highlighted that these fans were treated based on their current positive actions rather than antiquated stereotypes.
Conversely, domestic incidents within England and Wales have risen. There have been 463 football-related reports, exceeding the 304 recorded during Euro 2024 and the 291 seen during the 2022 World Cup. Of these incidents, 162 occurred in bars or pubs, while 109 were linked to domestic matters involving family members. Total arrests at home reached 88, surpassing the 66 and 56 arrests from the previous two major tournaments respectively.
To maintain order, 1,958 individuals under existing football banning orders were mandated to surrender their passports before the tournament began to prevent travel. Meanwhile, all five England fans arrested in the U.S. have been released into the custody of the UKFPU for further processing.
