Euro 2024 and a surge in the possession of class A drugs fuelled a 14 per cent increase in football-related arrests in England and Wales during the 2023-24 season.
Home Office statistics released on Thursday, said there were 2,584 football-related arrests across the season, up by 320 on 2022-23.
The 14 per cent increase was driven by England’s participation in the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, with 417 arrests made at or in connection with national team matches – representing 16 per cent of all arrests.
Of the 417 arrests, 291 were made in England and Wales – 281 of which related to the Euro 2024 tournament.
England were runners-up to Spain at Euro 2024, while Wales were beaten by Poland in a play-off before the tournament.
There were 344 arrests for the possession of class A drugs across the season, an increase of 144 from the previous campaign.
The 2022-23 season was the first in which possession of class A drugs was specifically recorded, having previously been recorded as ‘other arrests’.
Of the most common football-related arrest offence types, the possession of class A drugs was third 13 per cent behind violent disorder 19 percent and public disorder 43 per cent.
English (US) ·