Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill

Debate between Lord Moynihan and Lord Brennan of Canton

3rd reading
Friday 16th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Brennan of Canton]

That the Bill do now pass.

[Lord Moynihan (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, for successfully steering this Private Member’s Bill through the House. As we have discussed, following Second Reading I did not table amendments in Committee since the Bill had the support of the Commons, is an important step in its own right in addressing the issue of fans entering football grounds without permission, and needed to make progress to finalise its passage through another place in this Session.

However, during the passage of the Bill I sought to encourage the Government to address the abuse and corruption of modern-day touts in the criminal secondary football ticketing market, the inadequate funding for the CMA to bring prosecutions and the growing evidence of corrupt stewards, usually working with someone outside the grounds or on social media, providing a facsimile of a digital ticket to a purchaser for payment. On match days, the purchaser is made aware of what turnstile to go to with the facsimile and which member of staff to speak to in order to allow them illegal entry into the stadium with a master access card or override button on the turnstile.

This is a growing problem and I hope both cases will be considered by the Home Office and addressed in legislation, not least that on secondary ticketing which will hopefully come before the House in the next Session. In the meantime, I wish the noble Lord well and thank him for all his work on this Bill, in the hope that, by avoiding any further protracted debates, the Bill may reach the statute book in this Session.