As a father of young children, I am approaching a moment of great anticipation – the time to take my daughter to her first football match.
Even though I attend Premier League matches regularly, the subject evokes as much trepidation as excitement. The Women’s Super League will certainly be frequented, but there are enough concerns over what my daughter would see and hear in the men’s game to make me think twice about taking her.
The World Cup has changed my outlook.
The Euro 2020 final acted as a stark reminder that the dark days of unruly football fandom were not over. An estimated 2,000 ticketless supporters stormed into Wembley amid scenes several eyewitnesses described as a warzone. In total, 19 police officers were injured with 51 arrests made around the stadium alone.
In the US this summer, the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) conducted a report after the group stages, revealing that there had been no reports of any violence or disorder involving England supporters in America, with just two arrests made in total in two weeks.
