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Manchester City and Chelsea fans who have been subject to a football banning order (FBO) will be prevented from travelling to this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States after new legislation from the UK Home Office. Around 150 fans of the two clubs, who qualify to play in the expanded 32-club competition thanks to their status as recent Champions League winners, will have to surrender their passports for the duration of the competition. Advertisement The new-look Club World Cup takes place from June 14 to July 13 and will be played at 10 venues around the U.
S. including the Rose Bowl in California and New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Fans previously subjected to FBOs who fail to hand in their passports to police could face fines, an extended banning order or even prison.
FBOs are handed out by courts if fans are convicted for a football-related offence, which can include violence, pitch invasions, use of pyrotechnics and online hate crimes linked to football. If affected City or Chelsea supporters wish to travel abroad during the tournament, they must gain permission from the Football Banning Orders Authority (FBOA). A similar passport surrender scheme for fans with FBOs was used during Euro 2024, hosted in Germany.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said, “for the tiny minority of troublemakers who use football as an excuse for criminality, we will be applying the same proven preventative measures that we have successfully done for other overseas tournaments.” Chelsea’s group for the tournament included Brazilian club Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis of Tunisia and a fourth team who will replace Club Leon of Mexico, while Manchester City will take on Wydad AC of Morocco, UAE’s Al Ain and Juventus of Italy. (Top photo: Michael Owens – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images).
