LONDON: Over 1,000 English and Welsh football fans with civil orders banning them from attending sports stadiums due to illegal behavior have been told to hand in their passports ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Some 1,308 fans from the two countries, both of which have qualified for the tournament and will play in the same group, will be blocked from traveling to the Gulf amid fears that hooliganism could disrupt the tournament.
From Oct. 14, the Home Office said that it will bring in new rules to prevent “any supporter who has previously caused trouble and is deemed likely to do so again” from traveling to Qatar.
“We will not let the behavior of a minority of lawbreakers tarnish what will be an exciting tournament,” said Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
The Home Office said in a statement that the 1,308 fans subject to banning orders will “be forced to hand their UK passports over to police” ahead of the World Cup, which runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.
Banning orders are issued to football fans who are convicted of a football-related criminal offense, which often includes violence and hooliganism.
The department added that those who do not comply with the rules or travel to Qatar could face up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine.
The Home Office will be running additional checks at air and sea ports to prevent anyone under a banning order from sneaking out of the country and heading to Qatar.
“Violence, abuse and disorder is not tolerated here, and this criminal behavior will not be tolerated at the World Cup which is why we are taking this firm approach,” Braverman added.
