Number of incidents in Dutch stadiums has further decreased

In total, 816 matches were played across these competitions last season, during which the independent prosecutor for professional football launched 150 (preliminary) investigations into disorderly conduct. In the 2022/23 season, this occurred 169 times, and in the season before that, 179 times (even though that season was affected by COVID-19 restrictions, meaning spectators were not always allowed).

Multiple incidents can occur in a single match, and the 150 cases took place during 134 matches. The prosecutor ultimately dismissed 60 cases, as the clubs were deemed not at fault before, during, or after the match, including in their efforts to identify the culprits.

Marianne van Leeuwen, director of professional football at the KNVB, explained: "Incidents attract all the attention, understandably so, as every incident is one too many. However, this often obscures the bigger picture of how incidents are developing. If we look at the entire season, we see that the number of incidents in stadiums has continued to decline since the peak right after the pandemic. We’re not there yet, but things are moving in the right direction, and that’s a credit to all the cooperating parties and the supporters who continue to stand by their club."

The offenders do not get away with their misconduct; they are tracked down and punished. A total of 1,008 national stadium bans were issued, with an average duration of 24 months. The number of stadium bans has decreased alongside the number of incidents, from 1,342 bans in the 2021/22 season, to 1,086 in 2022/23, and now 1,008 in 2023/24.

Most stadium bans were issued for public violence (16%), followed by the possession and/or use of face-covering materials (13%), and the possession and/or use of fireworks (11%). The use of items like balaclavas has increased in recent years. These are often used for negative purposes, and thus prohibited. Thanks to high-quality cameras in the stadiums, the likelihood of offenders being caught has also increased.

The number of incidents involving objects being thrown onto the pitch has significantly dropped. In terms of stadium bans issued for this offence, there’s been a decrease from 242 to 99, due to the stricter rules implemented on 6 April 2023.

In addition to the findings from the Safety Monitor, information from the police and Public Prosecution Service shows that 5% fewer police hours were required during the 2023/24 season compared to the previous one. Most incidents occurred outside the stadium. This ultimately resulted in fewer cases for the Public Prosecution Service, although more offenders were prosecuted: criminal prosecution increased due to a rise in the number of summons (54% compared to 32%).

Marianne van Leeuwen: “We’re not yet where we want to be. For the journey we are taking together with our partners, such as the Public Prosecution Service, police, municipalities, the cabinet, and ministries, we have developed a joint roadmap containing 50 measures. These are focused on prevention, detection, punishment, and encouraging positive behaviour.”

The Safety Monitor provides a statistical overview of the developments, incidents, and activities that took place last season. The 2023/24 edition is available to read on KNVB.nl from today (in Dutch).