Manchester City recorded the highest number of football-related arrests among all clubs in England and Wales last season — 102 arrests and other police actions, according to newly released UK Government statistics covering the 2025/26 campaign.
Chelsea came second with 76, Manchester United third with 67. Arsenal, who lifted the Premier League title, registered 66, while Championship side Millwall rounded out the top five with 63. These figures were compiled from data gathered across 43 territorial police forces plus the British Transport Police.
The broader picture
Nationally, 1,963 football-related arrests and police actions were recorded across England and Wales — a 4% drop on the previous season. That decline is worth some context: March brought a legislative change that added unauthorized stadium entry to Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989, generating 45 arrests of its own. Without that addition, the fall would have looked steeper.
Manchester United's numbers are the most dramatic shift in the data. They recorded 67 arrests this season — down 60 from last year's figure, a 47% decrease. That follows a 44% surge the season before. Wild swings in both directions. Whatever drove the spike in 2024/25 appears to have settled, at least for now.
Portsmouth went the other way. Their arrests jumped from 16 to 55 — the sharpest single-season increase in the country. A newly promoted club coming back into the Football League spotlight, crowds getting louder, tensions rising. The pattern isn't unusual for clubs returning to relevance.
Banning orders: West Ham out front
On football banning orders, West Ham sit top with 121 supporters currently banned — up from 112 the previous season. Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool all follow, each with figures in the 80s.
For clubs with volatile supporter conduct data, those banning order numbers matter when assessing crowd atmosphere at high-stakes fixtures. A fan base with 100+ active banning orders is one where authorities are clearly keeping a closer eye — and that scrutiny tends to shape how clubs manage matchday operations and, sometimes, their stadium licensing position.
West Ham's 121 is the number that sticks. That's not a number you drift into accidentally.
