Legal Update - 22 March 2026
The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act 2026 comes into force on 22 March 2026. This Act inserts section 1A and introduces the offence of unauthorised entry into the Football (Offences) Act 1991.
The offence is committed when a person (P) enters or attempts to enter premises for the purpose of attending a designated football match and does not have a match ticket they are eligible to use. There are two defences contained within section 1A to this offence. The first in subsection (2) is where the defendant can prove they had lawful authority or excuse. The second in subsection (3) is where the defendant can prove that they entered or attempted to enter through normal spectators’ entry point and at the time they reasonably believed that they had a valid ticket for the match when in fact they did not.
In this section “match ticket” means a ticket or other thing, either physical or electronic, which authorises a person to enter premises for the purpose of attending a designated football match.
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