English, Wales field invasions during soccer matches are up 127% compared to before pandemic

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The number of field invasions in soccer matches in England and Wales last season soared by 127% compared to the last full campaign before the coronavirus pandemic, according to government statistics released Thursday.

The data provided by the Home Office — a government department responsible for law and order — highlighted the growth in anti-social behavior at matches, which soccer authorities are attempting to combat.

On Wednesday, the Premier League announced that fans who run onto the field at matches, or use objects like smoke bombs and pyrotechnics, will receive automatic bans from clubs for a minimum of a year.

According to the government statistics, there were 441 matches where field invasions were reported last season — more than double the number in the 2018-19 season.

Soccer-related arrests were up by 59% to 2,198. That is the highest number since 2,273 were made in the 2013-14 season.

Incidents of disorder were reported at 1,609 of the 3,019 matches last season — equating to 53% — compared to 1,007 matches in 2018-19. There were 384 matches where a hate-crime incident was reported, an increase of 99%.

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Authorities issued 516 new soccer banning orders in the 2021-22 season, with 1,308 in force at the end of the season.

"Disorder is a problem that has not gone away," said Mark Roberts, the head of British soccer policing, "and throughout the whole of last season, we saw an increase in crime at football matches across the country — from the Premier League right down to the (fifth-tier) National League."

Roberts said drug use and alcohol are