World Cup passport surrender deadline looms for fans with football banning orders

Thirty-seven people in Avon and Somerset have been sent letters telling them they are required to surrender their passport ahead of the FIFA World Cup starting next week.

Recipients of a football banning order (FBO) will be prohibited to travel to Qatar to stop them from being able to attend England’s matches.

Anyone that has fails to surrender their passport during the 11-14 November period – unless they have applied for an exemption – can expect a visit from us, where failure to comply could result in their arrest. 

A common misconception is that FBOs are issued purely as a result of incidents committed at matches. However, they can also be provided as a result of other types of football-related disorder. For instance, anyone going to watch a match on a television at a public showing, such as a pub, who becomes embroiled in any form of antisocial or violent behaviour, could receive a FBO.

A banning order can prevent attendance at club and international matches for a period of up to 10 years, depending on the seriousness of the criminal conviction. Other conditions requested on a FBO may include exclusion zones around stadia before and after home fixtures, plus a day-long ban on travel to towns and cities, where away matches are being played. 

The England men’s team’s World Cup campaign kicks off against Iran on Monday 21 November.

Throughout the World Cup we will be providing high-visibility reassurance patrols and engaging with fans to maintain public safety.