In a landmark case that's sending shockwaves through the football community, a 27-year-old man has become the first person in England and Wales to be charged with tailgating at a match. Benjamin Bailey, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, has been slapped with a three-year football banning order after admitting to sneaking into the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley on March 22 without a ticket.
Tailgating—the practice of slipping through stadium turnstiles by closely following a paying ticket holder—was recently criminalized under the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act. This new law came five years after chaos erupted at the same venue during the Euro 2020 final, when thousands of ticketless fans stormed the gates, putting lives at risk.
Bailey pleaded guilty to the offense at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he was hit with a three-year ban from attending any regulated football matches and fined £230. For context, offenders convicted of tailgating now face potential bans of up to five years and fines reaching £1,000—a clear signal that authorities are serious about cracking down on gate-crashing.
The legislation was a direct response to the disorder that marred the England vs. Italy Euro 2020 final in July 2021. An independent review by Baroness Louise Casey revealed that approximately 2,000 ticketless individuals managed to breach security, with 17 mass gate rushes occurring in just 90 minutes. The report highlighted more than 20 "near misses" that could have resulted in serious injury or death, painting a stark picture of the dangers involved.
Previously, attending a football match without a ticket wasn't specifically illegal, leaving a loophole that authorities have now closed. The new act also makes it a crime to knowingly try to enter matches with forged tickets, passes, or accreditation documents, or by impersonating stadium or playing staff. For sports fans, this means the days of "following the crowd" through the turnstiles are over—and the consequences are real.