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England handed two-match stadium ban for Euro 2020 final crowd trouble

The FA have also been fined €100,000 over the chaotic scenes that marred the final at Wembley

Tom Kershaw
Monday 18 October 2021 16:42 BST
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Ticketless fans storm Euro 2020 final in London

England have been ordered to play their next Uefa international fixture behind closed doors due to the violent crowd trouble that marred this summer’s Euro 2020 final.

The English Football Association have also been fined €100,000 “for the lack of order and discipline inside and around the stadium, for the invasion of the field of play, for throwing of objects and for the disturbances during the national anthems”.

The ban will apply to England’s opening Nations League fixture next summer, while a second match ban has been suspended for two years and could be enforced in the event of further sanctions.

The FA said: “Although we are disappointed with the verdict, we acknowledge the outcome of this UEFA decision.

“We condemn the terrible behaviour of the individuals who caused the disgraceful scenes in and around Wembley Stadium at the Euro 2020 final, and we deeply regret that some of them were able to enter the stadium.

“We are determined that this can never be repeated, so we have commissioned an independent review, led by Baroness Casey, to report on the circumstances involved. We continue to work with the relevant authorities in support of their efforts to take action against those responsible and hold them to account.”

Ticketless supporters forced their way through the barriers at Wembley Stadium on 11 July causing chaos and sparking ugly clashes before, during and after England’s defeat by Italy on penalties.

The Metropolitan Police reported that 51 arrests were made in connection to the event, with 26 of those at Wembley as ticketless fans breached barricades and disabled viewing areas. Nineteen officers sustained injuries as part of the police operation.

Following the final, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors said: “To support the stewarding efforts, further highly trained public order officers were deployed to Wembley Stadium as a precaution.

“Soon after gates opened, the stewarding and outer security perimeter became overwhelmed and fans began pushing through security checks. I want to praise the quick response by police commanders and those brave officers who confronted these subsequent scenes of disorder and violence.

“I am in no doubt that their swift action prevented any further escalation.

“I do not accept that the policing operation failed and I standby the difficult decisions made by police officers and the Met’s public order commanders. Without their immediate intervention, it is possible that this game could have been abandoned.”

The FA have commissioned their own independent review into the events around the match, which is being led by Louise Casey of Blackstock.

Despite the widespread disorder, the Uefa president, Aleksander Ceferin, sought to play down fears that the final had damaged the UK and Ireland’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup last month and insisted Wembley would remain a key venue for Uefa finals going forwards.

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