This article isn’t really about the rights or wrongs of celebrating on the pitch or letting off smoke bombs and flares in stadiums - it is an explainer on the law as it stands.

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Not all supporters realise how serious the consequences can be for those who break the law. It could have serious consequences for employment and educational opportunities – and if you are banned it will affect when you can travel on holiday abroad.

Pyro

Many fans who use pyro might have positive intentions, to liven things up and help the atmosphere (as seen in some European matches)However, the law doesn’t care about that - the law says you are committing a criminal offence:

• If you are in possession of any pyro (ignited or not);

• At any time during a match;

• And you’re in any area where the match can be viewed (e.g. the stand).​

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The second pyro offence is if you are “entering or trying to enter” a football match. We have known fans who have been arrested well before the turnstiles on the basis they are suspected of ‘trying to enter’ the match.​

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There is a general lack of understanding around pyro and the law. They are frequently framed in a positive context at Glastonbury, and even in matchday programmes or club communications, so it’s understandable that some people might think their use is allowed. But it definitely isn’t.

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There were 168 arrests in 2021-22 for this offence according to the Government’s statistics. Its also worth noting the law doesn’t differentiate between flares, smoke bombs or fireworks. Whilst a prison sentence is rare, it has happened – the maximum sentence for these offences is 3 months imprisonment. Ending up in court with a criminal record, the risk of being in the press and in many cases, a football banning order, you have to ask, is it worth it?

Pitch invasions

Pitch invasions have been a regular occurrence - especially towards the end of season in recent years. Although it’s worth saying that most supporters stay in the stands as they want to see the players celebrating, not fellow fans wandering about taking poorly framed selfies. While there might have been a tradition of celebratory incursions in past decades, many of those took place before it was a criminal offence to enter the pitch.

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Except in the case of an emergency, we don’t think there’s any reason for supporters to enter the field of play. Here’s why:

1. It’s illegal and punishments can be very severe. Many thousands of fans over the years have entered the field of play with nothing but good intentions in a moment of celebration. But in the eyes of the law it doesn’t matter – it’s illegal and the law doesn’t discriminate. You could get a very long club ban, a criminal record and a Football Banning Order.

2. It’s not fair on players – football without fans is nothing but football without players isn't great either.

According to the PFA - they understand that 99.99% of fans have nothing but good intentions: however, players are understandably worried about that one idiot getting to them. Players and managers have a fundamental right to leave the pitch without being attacked or antagonised.

3. Wider consequences. There is an unwritten behavioural pact that we all benefit from – stay off the pitch and crowd management restrictions will be a much lighter touch. If that pact breaks down football will be worse for us all as rules will tighten. We’ve seen clubs have ground capacity reductions forced upon them, while alcohol sales around stadiums or netting laid out across the first few rows aren’t impossible. All things that make matchdays worse and that’s before you even get to nuclear options like full stand or stadium closures, or points deductions.

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It is also an offence to enter the area ‘adjacent’ to the pitch. This means the perimeter of the pitch which may have advertising boards or walls/barriers marking this banned area. Most stadiums have signs up making it clear where the boundaries surrounding the pitch are. Take care not to fall foul of this law otherwise you could find the joy of celebration quickly turning to despair as you’re marched away by stewards and handed over to the police.

Football Banning Orders

Football Banning Orders (aka FBOs) were first introduced in 1989 by the Football Spectators Act, and were originally intended to prevent violent and/or repeat offenders attending football matches here and abroad.

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There’s an important distinction to be made between clubs bans and FBOs too. The former is, in effect, a private business banning you from their premises. A total waste of a season ticket, and you’ll not see your team in person for a while, but that’s more or less it.

FBOs are much, much more serious and can be imposed by a court following conviction. The minimum FBO is three years and up to five years for this offence. The minimum FBO for any fan sent to prison is six years up to ten years.

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If you get a FBO you must surrender your passport when the England/Wales football team or your club play overseas. Most FBOs restrict your freedom of movement on matchdays and you can be banned from your team’s city centre. Imagine not being able to go shopping on a Saturday or abroad for a holiday because you once ran onto the pitch?

 

That’s how severely a FBO can impact your life. So is it really worth it?

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Reprinted and adapted with kind permission of the Football Supporters Association (FSA): Pitch invasions and pyro – what does the law say? Posted on 2nd May 2025 Written by Michael Brunskill (c) FSA

See the original article here:  Pitch invasions and pyro - what does the law say? - Football Supporters' Association