Who are we?

We are a group of football fans from across the UK who have come together to challenge an ABUSE OF POWER, by the UK Football Banning Order Authority (UKFBOA), resulting in a BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS, during the period of the UEFA Nations League football tournament, played in Portugal in June 2019.

Our Case

We say the UKFBOA had NO LAWFUL POWER to take our passports and RESTRICT OUR LIBERTY. The UKFBOA are required to get approval by the Secretary of State. This requirement was disregarded. We say this was because of our status as football fans! We deserve to be treated fairly in accordance with the law.

England played 2 matches in the Tournament, the semi-final on 6^th June 2019 (against Netherlands) and the Third place deciding match (against Switzerland) on 9^th June 2019.

Due to a football banning order, the UKFBOA ordered each of us to hand in our passports to a police station for the entirety of the tournament (the control period). This was retained at the police station and prevented us from travelling overseas or using the passport for identification purposes for up to 10 days. Some of us were unable to travel to work off-shore; holiday with family and/or had to return home early from abroad….!!

The Law

There is a term included in a football banning order imposed under Section 14 Football Spectators Act 1989 [“FSA”] to require a person subject to a ban to surrender their passport, whenever ordered to do so by the UKFBOA, in respect of a single regulated match.

The UKFBOA can only require a person to report to a police station for an ‘external tournament’ if an Order has been made by the Secretary of State. The UEFA National League Finals was an external tournament.

Section 14(6) FSA defines the “control period” in relation to external tournaments as “any period described in an Order made by the Secretary of State -

(a) beginning five days before the day of the first football match outside [the United Kingdom] which is included in the tournament, and

(b) ending when the last football match outside the [United Kingdom] which is included in the tournament is finished or cancelled.

This did not happen! 

The UKFBOA acted over and above their powers as prescribed by the Law!

What we plan to do

We wish to take the UKFBOA to Court. However, we have no protection against costs.

The UKFBOA are a public body and have the means to fight this case. Without funding we may not be able to continue the fight for justice given the risk of adverse costs if we withdraw or lose at trial.

We want to stand together and fight for justice. This will impact hundreds of supporters up and down the Country!

Further challenge

There are numerous games now held abroad all throughout the year. This may not have been the case when the law was put in place. As such, the requirement to hand in passports may have a more restrictive impact on an individual’s private and family life than the act intended. We consider the Football Spectators Act may therefore be incompatible with the Human Rights Act.

Breach of Human Rights 

It has been accepted by the Court of Appeal that a football banning order is a draconian measure as it places a restriction on a person’s right to private life and liberty and security.

We say that the unlawful imposition of the requirement to surrender your passport amounts to a breach of your Article 5 HRA (right to liberty and security) and Article 8 HRA (right to private and family life) rights.

How much we are raising and why?

Initially we would like to raise £2,500 however this goal may increase as the case continues.

Thanks for your support and for sharing and donating to this page. Please help by sharing this page on social media with your friends, family and other fans.