Arsenal have confirmed that nine supporters were issued stadium bans and football banning orders during the 2025-26 season as part of the club's continued crackdown on discriminatory and abusive behaviour. The announcement was made public on Tuesday, ahead of the club's pre-season fixtures.
The sanctions stemmed from a range of offences, including assault, homophobia, racism, antisemitism, and other forms of abusive or intimidating conduct. The banning orders vary in length from one to three years, and those affected are prohibited from attending any fixture involving Arsenal, whether at home or away.
In addition to the completed cases, the club revealed it is working alongside police on 13 further investigations relating to alleged offences committed both in person and online. Those under investigation remain subject to Arsenal's internal disciplinary procedures while the outcomes of their cases are determined.
A significant part of the club's efforts have come through a partnership with Signify Group, a data science company that monitors online abuse. Through this collaboration, Arsenal identified more than 17,700 messages and comments classified as abusive and directed at individuals or accounts linked to the club — a notable increase compared to the previous season.
Of 267 investigations that were completed, 39 individuals were identified and referred either to Arsenal or to opposing clubs for disciplinary action, while nine cases were serious enough to be escalated to law enforcement authorities. The club stated that its partnership with Signify would continue to track down offenders, flag abusive material to social media platforms, and pursue further action wherever necessary.
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick addressed the findings in a statement published on the club's official website, reflecting on the balance between the positive atmosphere generated by supporters and the need to address unacceptable behaviour.
"This season gave us many moments to be proud of and showed once again the role football can play in bringing people together," Garlick said. "The overwhelming majority of our supporters help make Arsenal a welcoming, inclusive and respectful place to be. Those standards are a big part of who we are, shaping the experience people have when they come to Arsenal, and how we represent our club around the world."
He added that discrimination in any form would not be tolerated, whether inside the stadium or online. "Abuse and discrimination have no place at Arsenal, whether in our stadium or online," Garlick said. "While these incidents involve a small minority, we will continue to take action when they happen, while doing everything we can to protect our players, staff, supporters and communities."
The disciplinary announcement comes as Arsenal continue their pre-season preparations. The club were set to face Italian side Como, managed by former Gunners midfielder Cesc Fabregas, on Wednesday, before taking on FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Sunday.
Manager Mikel Arteta is putting the finishing touches on his squad as Arsenal prepare to defend their Premier League title, a campaign that begins at home against newly promoted Coventry City on 21 August. New signing Bruno Guimaraes, who joined in a £75 million move from Newcastle United, could feature for the first time as the Gunners look to build momentum heading into the new season.
Based on reporting from Independent (football).