English FA to review regulations following recent incidents of 'anti-social' behavior from fans

By Homero De la Fuente and Sammy Mngqosini, CNN

Updated 0019 GMT (0819 HKT) May 21, 2022

Everton fans invade the pitch after the Premier League match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on May 19, 2022.

(CNN)The Football Association (FA) said it will work with English football clubs to address recent incidents of fans entering the pitch, vowing to review its regulations to put a stop to unruly fan behavior.

«We are very concerned about the rise in anti-social behavior from fans as we reach the end of the season,» the governing body of association football in England said in a statement on Friday. «Football stadiums should always be a safe and enjoyable space for everyone, and these incidents are completely unacceptable and have no place in our game.»It is illegal to enter the pitch area in any stadium and these actions are putting players, fans and people who run the game at great risk. This simply cannot continue and we can confirm that we are investigating all of the incidences."On Thursday, hundreds of spectators invaded the pitch at Goodison Park in Liverpool after Everton avoided relegation from the Premier League with a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace. Several people were arrested according to Merseyside police. The post-match melee included an incident between Crystal Palace manager Patrick Viera and a fan.A video posted on social media appeared to show a fan taunting Viera who responded with a kick out toward the fan. Viera was not arrested and said he had «nothing to say» when asked about the incident in the post-game press conference.Read MoreMerseyside Police confirmed they are investigating an altercation on the pitch saying, «We are working with Everton FC to gather all available CCTV footage