Entering a football match without a ticket is now a criminal offence in England and Wales, carrying a fine of up to £1,000 or a five-year ban.

ENTERING a football match without a valid ticket is now a criminal offence in England and Wales.

The new law, which comes into force this weekend ahead of the Carabao Cup final, carries a maximum fine of £1,000 or a five-year football banning order.

Policing minister Sarah Jones said the legislation gives officers “more armoury” to act against those “disrespecting paying fans by trying to get in without paying themselves.”

“This is something that I don’t think any party could oppose – it cannot be right that some people pay and some people don’t and that people are put at risk, in danger, when people are tailgating,” she told the Press Association.

The Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act also criminalises using forged tickets or pretending to be stadium staff.

It follows an independent review into the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium in July 2021.

The review by Louise Casey found that lives were put at risk when thousands of ticketless fans stormed the stadium before the England v Italy match.

Casey identified more than 20 “near misses” that could have resulted in serious injury or death.

Approximately 2,000 people gained entry without tickets amid 17 mass breaches of the stadium gates.

The review concluded that sanctions for breaking into stadiums were weak and that tailgating should become a specific offence.

Tailgating is when fans slip through turnstiles by closely following a ticket holder.

Previously, there was no specific legal penalty for attending a football game without a ticket.

The new laws also follow major problems at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, where Liverpool fans with legitimate tickets were denied entry.

Manchester City will play Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

 The Sun Malaysia