“Disruptive elements” target of new football safety rules

New initiatives will require hooligans to stay further away from stadiums during away games and give police power to demand that clubs take better precautions

Police, the Danish football association, fan clubs and the Justice Ministry announced today a list of 21 initiatives aimed at combatting hooligans.

Due to be presented to parliament this spring, the proposal would give police more power to set safety requirements at stadiums and demand more safety stewards. And, in an effort to keep out black-listed supporters, stewards will be provided with photographs and details of individuals listed on the so-called ‘hooligan register’, 72 hours before kick-off, instead of the current 24 hours.

“The goal is to tackle the disruptive elements without also infringing on people that simply want to watch a football game,” the justice minister, Morten Bødskov (Socialdemokraterne), said.

Police have blamed a lack of stewards at games for the frequent incidents involving fireworks and other disruptions. Last week, over 1,000 Brøndby supporters invaded their club’s pitch after beating rivals FC Copenhagen 1-0 in the quarter-final of the league cup, leading to confrontations with away fans before police clad in riot gear stepped in.

Speaking to Berlingske newspaper, Bødskov said the police’s ability to require more stewards would help prevent incidents like these, though the move could lead to burdensome extra costs for football clubs.

Experience shows that one of the most effective ways to prevent disruptions at games is to keep unruly fans away from stadiums and under the new rules anyone listed in the hooligan register will be banned from away games and also have to stay out of the new three kilometre exclusion zone surrounding the location of the match – the old exclusion zone was only 500 meters.

Anyone caught participating in violence at games will immediately be placed on the hooligan register which currently only counts 66 individuals.

Thomas Christensen, chairman of Divisionsforening, the association of football clubs, added that while the vast majority of supporters felt safe at matches, a small disruptive element keeps many from attending.

“That is why we are incredibly happy about the plan that focuses on a small core that acts unacceptable outside stadiums,” Christensen said. “We are happy that the police and stewards will be given better tools to ensure a safe football experience.”




  • The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    A team of young internationals has created an app that is helping their peers connect and build friendships in Denmark, addressing the challenges of social integration.

  • New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    The documentary Greenland’s White Gold, reveals the worth of cryolite mining in Greenland to be in the billions. Over the years its value has been undermined, despite it acting like a gold mine for the Danish state. 

  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.

  • Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Most parents in Denmark reject using social media parental controls despite knowing about them. A new study questions the effectiveness of these tools in ensuring children’s online safety.