Met chief urges Premier League teams to pay for cost of policing football

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is urging the government to require football clubs to reimburse local forces for the cost of policing matches. He says the current shortfall puts pressure on public resources, while London Assembly members argue clubs should pay a fairer share.

Policing matches involving London’s 14 professional clubs costs around £20m a year, according to Rowley. In the 2024-25 season, the Met spent £23.4m on football policing and recovered £2.1m, an eight per cent repayment rate; City Hall recorded £12.3m in costs from August to December last year. Clubs may resist changes, as many operate at a loss, and lower-league matches are not always charged for additional police services.