Police comment on England fan behaviour in North America after previous positive reports

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FT Desk

Police have provided an updated report on the behaviour of England fans at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Three Lions supporters have developed a mixed reputation at major tournaments, with several high-profile incidents over the years. These include clashes with police in Marseille during Euro 2016, where officers deployed tear gas, and disorder at the Euro 2021 final, when more than 2,000 people entered Wembley Stadium without valid tickets.

So far at the 2026 World Cup, however, their behaviour has been praised as there have been no major incidents reported concerning high-profile collisions with opposition fans or police, while Scotland fans have also received praise for their conduct at the finals.

"The behaviour of England fans - and of course the Scots - has been excellent throughout the group stages of the World Cup," chief constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU, said.

"In our pre-briefs we stressed to local law enforcement the positive record of our fans at recent World Cups, and it is great to see that continuing and the fans being policed according to their behaviour, not an outdated reputation."

Five England fans out of the thousands travelling have been arrested but only two of those came at an actual fixture, while two have already been released.

There is a concern over the rise of domestic disruptions, however, as in England and Wales there have been 463 football-related incidents since the start of the tournament. 162 of those have been in licensed premises, while 109 are classed as domestic incidents, often involving family members over the age of 16.

Many football-related arrests in the UK are made under the Public Order Act, which covers a broad range of anti-social behaviour, including abusive language, disorderly conduct, intimidation and violence.

Police and FIFA stunned by England fan behaviour

England won their first World Cup match 4-2 against Croatia in Arlington, Texas and, remarkably, no arrests were made.

The Daily Mail reported that zero arrests were made by Arlington PD in the days surrounding the match, with supporters reportedly “impressing locals with their boisterous but mostly good-natured behaviour.”

It’s claimed that police and FIFA officials were “stunned” by the behaviour of England fans, while The Football Association have been left delighted by the number of supporters who have made the expensive journey to America to support Thomas Tuchel’s team.

Only three officers from the UK's Football Policing Unit have reportedly travelled to the USA and there are no plans to increase that figure due to the positive nature of England’s visit to Texas.

It’s understood that roughly 15,000 England fans travelled across the Atlantic to watch the 4-2 win over Croatia, although larger numbers made the journey for the draw versus Ghana and the victory against Panama.

The Three Lions face DR Congo in the Round of 32 on Wednesday.

Harry Kane thanks England fans for Croatia support

England fans went viral for serenading the Three Lions squad with a rendition of Oasis hit song ‘Wonderwall’ after full-time versus Croatia, and during an appearance on the Lions’ Den podcast, captain Harry Kane admitted: “That was one of my favourite ever moments in an England shirt and especially at a major tournament.

“I know it's just the first game and we're not getting carried away, but just that emotional connection with the fans... We know how much it means to them.

“We have that connection right now but just that moment, singing Wonderwall in the stadium... Everyone knew the words and that was a really special moment.”