Fans who chant about tragedies could be arrested and banned, while referees will be told to issue cards when confronted by two or more players under a new code of conduct aimed at cleaning up football.
Following talks between the sport’s governing bodies and the Crown Prosecution Service, singing sick songs about disasters such as Munich and Hillsborough will be classed as a criminal offence.
And, as part of a raft of wide-ranging regulations, players and coaches who repeatedly abuse referees will face increased penalties from the Football Association.
The changes, which have been made in time for the new season, include a crackdown on what has been termed ‘tragedy chanting’. That includes offensive gesturing and displaying offensive messaging which officials say ‘causes significant distress to the victims’ families, survivors and affected-club supporters’.
Mail Sport understands that the prospect of stewards wading into a crowd to apprehend those thought to be responsible is unlikely. Instead, any such behaviour is likely to be reported to the police control box, where CCTV footage will be captured ahead of subsequent retrospective action.
On the pitch, authorities are seeking a ‘reset’ in how those who play and watch the game conduct themselves. A 'Participant Charter' will see referees will be encouraged to issue at least a yellow card if they are confronted by two or more players.
Last season, the FA issued more than 20 fines to Premier League clubs for surrounding match officials or mass confrontations, totalling more than £1m.
From the forthcoming campaign, managers will have to attend a pre-match briefing while ‘players and team officials not listed on the team sheet must not enter the technical area’.
No occupants from the technical area can ‘enter the pitch to confront any match official at half-time or full-time’ while during the match only one person can stand at the front of the technical area and, while a second person can stand, they ‘must remain very close to the technical area seating’.
Meanwhile, players ‘must not instigate or escalate a mass confrontation with opposing players and/or technical area occupants’.