More than 50 people have been arrested at Wembley Stadium following a pitch invasion and attempts to breach security during the Champions League final, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. The final saw Real Madrid defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in London, with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
The arrests were made after the game was disrupted in the opening minute by three separate pitch invaders who evaded security. Additionally, there were reports of fans attempting to enter the stadium without tickets.
Temporary Commander Louise Puddefoot stated, “Officers have made 53 arrests at Wembley – five for pitch invasion and the majority of others for attempts to breach security.” She emphasized that the majority of attempts to unlawfully gain access to the stadium were unsuccessful, thanks to a robust policing operation in collaboration with Wembley security.
Wembley Stadium announced it had implemented measures to curb “poor fan behavior” following the chaos at the Euro 2020 final. The Metropolitan Police deployed over 2,000 officers to manage protests in the capital, the Champions League final, and related fan events.
Real Madrid’s victory marks their 15th European trophy win, two years after chaotic scenes during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris. The 2022 event saw tens of thousands of Liverpool and Madrid fans in disorganized queues at the Stade de France, with UEFA later bearing primary responsibility for the security failures that nearly led to a “mass fatality catastrophe.”
