The Football Association has announced that entering football stadiums without a valid ticket is now a criminal offence in England and Wales, with offenders facing bans of up to five years.

The new legislation, introduced ahead of the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium, is aimed at tightening security and preventing unlawful access to football venues.

Under the updated law, several common tactics used by ticketless fans have been criminalised.

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These include “tailgating,” where individuals sneak in by closely following legitimate ticket holders through entry points.

The use of forged tickets, fake accreditation, or impersonating stadium staff to gain access is also now considered a criminal offence.

Authorities say anyone found guilty could face fines of up to £1,000, in addition to football banning orders that could prevent them from attending matches for as long as five years.

The move comes in response to the disorder witnessed during the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, where thousands of fans without tickets forced their way into Wembley Stadium.

A review led by Louise Casey revealed that about 2,000 individuals gained entry illegally, breaching security points including disabled access gates and emergency exits.

The report warned that the situation posed serious safety risks and could have resulted in severe injuries or fatalities.

Reacting to the development, UK Policing Minister Sarah Jones said the new law is designed to ensure fans can enjoy matches in a safe and secure environment.

She added that the legislation provides law enforcement agencies with stronger powers to prevent a repeat of past incidents.

Before now, there was no specific law directly addressing illegal stadium entry, with offenders often only removed from venues or charged under broader fraud-related offences, which were difficult to prosecute.

Officials believe the new measures will serve as a strong deterrent, improve crowd control, and enhance safety, especially ahead of major tournaments like the UEFA Euro 2028, which will be co-hosted by the UK and Ireland.

Chelsea FC have been slammed with a £10.75 million ($14.27 million) fine and hit with a suspended one-year transfer ban by the Premier League for historical breaches of league rules.

The sanctions, announced on Monday, also include an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban, preventing Chelsea from registering new youth players from other academies during this period.

The Premier League said the penalties stem from information provided by the consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly following their takeover of the club in 2022 from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

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While the one-year transfer ban is suspended and may only be enforced if further violations occur, the fine and academy ban immediately take effect, marking a significant regulatory action against one of England’s top football clubs.

Chelsea are currently competing in domestic competitions while rebuilding their squad under Boehly’s ownership.

The club is yet to release an official statement responding to the sanctions.

Joan Laporta has been re-elected as president of FC Barcelona after securing a commanding victory in the club’s latest presidential election.

Laporta polled over 68 per cent of the votes cast by members, comfortably defeating his main rival, Victor Font, who received close to 30 per cent of the ballots.

The remaining votes were declared void or invalid.

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The victory secures Laporta another five-year term beginning July 1, 2026, marking his second consecutive term and fourth overall as president of the Catalan giants.

Laporta previously led Barcelona between 2003 and 2010, a highly successful period that included the appointment of legendary coach Pep Guardiola, under whom the club enjoyed one of the most dominant eras in its history.

Speaking after his re-election, the 63-year-old expressed confidence about the club’s future, promising more success in the coming years.

“It makes us unstoppable. No one will stop us. Exciting years lie ahead,” Laporta said.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the squad and completing the ongoing redevelopment of the iconic Camp Nou stadium.

The election recorded a turnout of about 42.34 per cent, with nearly 48,500 club members participating in the voting process.

Despite financial challenges in recent seasons, Barcelona have enjoyed a strong campaign this year, already securing a domestic treble and currently sitting four points ahead of rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga title race.

The Spanish side are also preparing for the round-of-16 second leg of the UEFA Champions League against Newcastle United after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.