UK Government Weighs Forcing Sports Clubs to Pay Millions More in Policing Costs. Premier League clubs and major sports organisations are increasingly alarmed that they may soon be forced to pay millions more in policing costs, after being summoned to a series of Home Office consultations beginning this week.
Currently, football clubs are only required to cover policing on their own property. But senior police officials argue that clubs not taxpayers should also fund the £71m per year needed to police surrounding areas on matchdays. The proposals could affect Football League fixtures, international rugby and cricket games, the London Marathon, and major cultural events such as Notting Hill Carnival and Pride.
Sports Clubs to Pay Millions More in Policing Costs
Some events could face substantial bills. Policing for the recent Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv reportedly cost £2m. One source suggested that if Millwall hosted Leeds, the home club could face a bill exceeding £100,000 once external policing costs were included.
The Times first reported in March that Cheshire police chief constable Mark Roberts, who leads the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), had been lobbying ministers for change. UKFPU figures show that during the 2023–24 season, policing football in England and Wales cost £71.69m, with clubs covering just £14.87m or 20.7%.
Roberts argues that shifting the remaining £56.82m burden away from taxpayers could free up 1,200 officers for frontline duties. He also criticised the disparity between clubs spending nearly £400m in a transfer window while contributing comparatively little to matchday policing, expressing frustration at the government’s “glacial pace”.
In response, the Football Association, Rugby Football Union, England & Wales Cricket Board, the Jockey Club, Silverstone and the Boat Race wrote jointly to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in April. Via the Major Event Organisers Association, they warned that the “ill-thought-out change would damage a crucial sector of the economy”, adding: “All our members would be impacted. This is not simply a Premier League football issue.”
It now appears, however, that the Home Office intends to examine the matter more closely.
Source: theguardian.com
The department has been contacted for comment. In October, minister of state Sarah Jones told parliament that the government was actively reviewing the issue. “The Home Office is concerned that the cost of policing football matches currently falling to the public purse is too high and is exploring ways to address this,” she said. “This is an important issue that requires careful consideration to ensure a balance between public cost and the wider cultural and economic value of these events.”
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