Plea to fans amid World Cup 2026 policing plan

We’re encouraging football fans to behave responsibly during this year’s men’s World Cup which gets underway tomorrow (Thursday 11 June).

The tournament, which is being co-hosted by Mexico, USA, and Canada, will kick off when Mexico face South Africa at 8pm tomorrow evening.

England start their campaign when they line-up against Croatia at 9pm on Wednesday 17 June, but policing plans across Avon and Somerset are already in place to make sure everybody is able to watch the matches safely – whether at home or at public screenings.

While the overwhelming majority of football fans watch the games sensibly at home, in licensed premises, or fanzones across our force area, we will be running policing operations because figures show that several offence types increase when England play.

Football-related disorder – even if it’s not committed at a match – can see offenders receive football banning orders preventing them from attending fixtures.

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Shields, who is leading the policing plans during the World Cup, said: “Let’s be clear, we want people to enjoy the tournament.

“While we do not want to stop people having fun, our number one priority is public safety, and that’s why we will be carrying out extra patrols throughout the tournament and engaging with football fans and others across Avon and Somerset.

“There will also be an increased focus on drink-driving and reminding people of the importance of being safe on the roads. If you have been drinking overnight, you may still be over the limit in the morning, so plan ahead.

“There is no excuse for disorder and criminality, and we have plans in place alongside our partners to deal with these issues robustly.”

Many crimes committed during sporting tournaments, such as the men’s World Cup, are linked to alcohol and with the later kick off times, there will be increased patrols around city and town centres and licensed premises. Roads policing officers will also be testing drivers suspected to be under the influence of drink and drugs.

One of the most notable increases in demand during major football tournaments is the volume of domestic abuse reports. Nationally, there is a rise in calls to police during these periods, particularly following England matches, whether the result is a win, loss or draw.

It is important to be clear that football does not cause domestic abuse. However, heightened emotions, alcohol consumption, and social dynamics around tournaments can create conditions in which perpetrators may escalate their behaviour.

Assistant Chief Constable Shields added: “It is a concerning reality that during major sporting events we often see an increased risk of harm for victims of domestic abuse. This behaviour is entirely the responsibility of perpetrators, who choose to use abusive or controlling behaviour, and is never acceptable. Our focus remains on holding offenders to account and safeguarding those at risk.

“We are working with a range of partners, including local authorities, support services, and charities, on a joint campaign to help increase understanding of the signs of domestic abuse, and how to safely intervene and report incidents.

“If you are a victim, police and other agencies are here to support you, and we ask those who suspect it is happening to do the right thing and not look away, but to report it to us and our partner agencies (below). Your intervention could save a life.”