Manchester United fans arrested more than any other club in the country last season | OneFootball

Manchester United fans were arrested more than any other club in the country last season, according to new data revealed on Thursday.

The data, published by the Home Office, revealed United supporters had the highest number of football-related arrests of all clubs in England and Wales.

The 121 arrests of United supporters in the 2024-25 put them ahead of local rivals Manchester City (94) and West Ham (77).

Forty nine per cent of the arrests of United fans occurred at home games, with 34 of them for public or violent disorder.

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Forty nine per cent of the arrests of United fans occurred at home games (Getty Images)

West Ham had the highest number of fans arrested in each of the previous three seasons, the Home Office said.

The number of football-related arrests overall dropped by 11 per cent to 1,932 compared to 2023-24, and marks the first drop since fans returned to stadiums after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The most common arrest type was public disorder (32 per cent). The percentage of arrests for possession of Class A drugs was the highest since it became a Schedule 1 offence in November 2022, up to 19 per cent from an initial nine per cent in 2022-23.

The number of matches with reported incidents increased however by 18 per cent, from 1,341 to 1,583.

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Manchester clubs dominate the football-related arrests table for last season (PA Wire)

A total of 2,439 banning orders were in force as of June 1, 2025, an increase of 12 per cent compared with the end of the previous season, and the highest number in force since the end of the 2012-13 season.

Banning orders prevent individuals from attending matches in the UK and individuals subject to orders can be ordered to hand over their passports to police before overseas matches and tournaments.

West Ham had the most supporters with a banning order in force at the end of last season, up from 93 to 112.

Manchester United were second with 108, up from 89. Chelsea’s increase from 54 to 80 moved them up from eighth at the end of 2023-24 to third by June 2025.

The most common reported incidents were related to hate crime – reported at 420 of the 1,583 matches where at least one incident was reported. Of those hate crime reports, 287 incidents related to race, 140 to sexual orientation, 20 to religion, 19 to disability and three to gender identity.

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Ham had the most supporters with a banning order in 2024-25 (PA Wire)

The number of hate crime reports at matches was up from 341 in 2023-24, and was the highest on record within the Home Office data provided which goes back to the 2017-18 season.

The number of online hate crimes recorded in connection to football decreased from 322 in 2023-24 to 212 last season.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “Police up and down the country work incredibly hard to ensure football stadiums are safe, so we can all enjoy our national game.

“Today’s statistics show that these efforts are paying off and strong action is being taken to stop violence and disorder from ruining football.

“As part of our Plan for Change, we are continuing to make football safer for the millions of dedicated fans, funding the UK Football Policing Unit and expanding drug testing on arrest at football matches for certain offences.”