“England won the football last night, and thank goodness they did,” Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin began, in a video posted on X the morning after the 4-2 defeat of Croatia on June 17, “because on the occasions that England lose their football matches, the incidences of domestic violence go through the roof. So boys, keep winning!”

The bitter reality — aside from the obvious pitfalls of placing responsibility for preventing domestic abuse on England’s footballers instead of, say, domestic abusers — is that evidence suggests incidents would rise after the match regardless of whether England won, lost or drew. Pochin later clarified her remarks in another post, alongside a link to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

UK government statistics estimate that 3.8 million people over 16 were victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales in the year to March 2025 — approximately 2.2m women, and 1.5m men. There were 111 domestic homicides — when a victim is 16 or older and killed by someone they are personally connected to, such as a partner, ex-partner, or relative — in the same time period.

It is a year-round problem, but major international men’s football tournaments can represent a time of “heightened danger”, according to Veronica Oakeshott, head of external affairs at anti-domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid.

“Football matches do not cause domestic abuse, but factors associated with big matches, such as increased alcohol consumption and emotions running high, can make existing domestic abuse increase in frequency and severity,” Oakeshott said in a statement to The Athletic.

One study from Lancaster University analysed figures from Lancashire Constabulary in north-west England across the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups. It found that incidents of domestic abuse in the area rose by 38 per cent when England lost in those tournaments, and 26 per cent when they won or drew, compared with days when they did not play. Incidents were also 11 per cent higher the day after an England match.

“We want everyone to have a great time, but we’ve got to remember that for some people they’re probably dreading (the World Cup),” says Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for football policing, “because if they’re in an abusive relationship, they know what’s coming.”

During the 2024 European Championship, UK charity Respect says it saw a 24 per cent increase in calls to its Men’s Advice Line, which supports male victims of domestic abuse, and a 39 per cent increase in calls to its Respect Phoneline, which tries to support perpetrators to change their behaviour.

Since the 2016 Euros, British police have been tracking incidents of football-related domestic abuse during tournaments, but Roberts says even this information is “incomplete” because domestic abuse is so often unreported.

According to Sue Harper, director for domestic abuse and sexual violence prevention at UK-based charity Hestia, the whole period England are involved in the World Cup can be a “time of anxiety” for those impacted by domestic abuse.

“What we tend to see is the further England progress in the tournament, and you get to the knockout stages, then that tends to be the trigger for more incidents,” adds Roberts, “both related to general disorder and assaults, but also domestic abuse.”

The table below shows the five matches that have been linked to the most incidents of violent crime (not only domestic abuse).

Roberts says: “There appears to be a kind of correlation there about people not being able to deal with it and taking it out on a partner when England get knocked out.”

The circumstances of this World Cup, with time-zone differences between the UK and host nations Canada, Mexico and the United States, add additional layers to the risk. England’s three group-stage matches kicked off at 9pm (twice) and 10pm UK time.

Ashleigh Hitter, Hestia’s domestic abuse and sexual violence prevention training manager, says: “Those links that concern us are thinking about that wider impact of people potentially drinking for longer and that impact on children as well in the family home.”

Women’s Aid first launched its ‘Football United Against Domestic Abuse’ campaign in 2014 and has run further initiatives at other major tournaments. A study from Warwick Business School analysed West Midlands Police crime data between 2010 and 2019, spanning three men’s World Cups and two men’s European Championships. They found that the number of alcohol-related domestic abuse cases reported to police increased by 47 per cent following an England victory in a major tournament.

Venues will be allowed to stay open later for any knockout-phase games involving England during the World Cup.

“Generally, more alcohol means more issues, more domestic abuse,” Roberts says.

“Everyone wants the hospitality industry to benefit through this; it’s great for business, and we want people to have a great time. But that can’t be the only factor, and there’s got to be some consideration that more alcohol means more domestic abuse and more crime. Let’s recognise that there’s a negative impact as well, and that collectively we need to be ready to support people and take positive action.”

Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales (whose team did not qualify for the finals) will have their own approach to the issue during the tournament, Roberts says: “Typically, it’s about that messaging to say that we are supportive, working with local support charities to make sure they’re cited and linked in with us, and being proactive in terms of what we do in the licensed premises.”

In Roberts’ force in Cheshire, he says, “around the games, we’ll scale up specialist resources as well as the uniform resources to make sure that we’re able to readily respond to any issues of general crime or domestic abuse.”

Hestia has launched its ‘Support is a team sport’ campaign alongside the World Cup, which aims to raise awareness of the heightened risks during the tournament and help people find support for themselves or others.

There is the Bright Sky app, which can assist people seeking to help themselves, a friend or family member, or a colleague. It provides information about local support services as well as national service helplines, and detailed guidance around spotting the signs of domestic abuse — including around abuse that might be linked to football — and guidance on how to support someone who might be suffering.

Hestia and UK Says No More also partner with major pharmacy and bank chains to provide designated ‘safe spaces’, from which people can reach out to friends and family or contact support services.

Hitter suggests: “If there’s going to be a late-night match, (you could) let somebody know that they can pop round for a cup of tea and give a survivor choice around that. Just being able to listen, or put a postcode into Bright Sky and find a local service, could be enough for somebody to feel like they’ve got that support from somebody else.”

UK government minister Natalie Fleet (right) has said nobody should live in fear of sporting events (Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“Football does not cause domestic abuse,” Harper says. “And being a football fan doesn’t mean that you’re an abuser, we’re really clear on that. What we really want, though, what society needs, is allyship.

“We need male allies who don’t immediately think, ‘It can’t be anyone that I know’. Actually, it must be.”

The Crown Prosecution Service’s website explains that domestic abuse disproportionately affects women and girls, though a significant minority of victims are men.

Premier League clubs Chelsea, Bournemouth and Newcastle United are among those who have worked with UK charity White Ribbon, which aims to engage men and boys in preventing violence against women and girls.

“Domestic abuse is not something that only happens when football is on. It happens every day of the year, and football should not be presented as the cause,” White Ribbon UK CEO Lynne Elliot tells The Athletic. “We must focus on preventing violence against women and girls before it starts, by addressing the harmful attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that allow it to happen.”

Newcastle fan Adam Stoker participated in an “eye-opening” training day with the charity.

“During our sessions, they mentioned the tiers of sexist behaviour and trying to nip things in the bud at an early level,” Stoker says. “If you hear something, especially if it’s one of your friends who you feel like you can (tell), ‘Look, just stop it. Don’t be an idiot’.

“If you can stop things at what might seem like a ‘banter’ comment, if you just make sure that that’s not accepted, then it’s a step towards making sure that things don’t progress beyond that.”

Karen, a survivor of domestic violence whom we are only calling by her first name, signed up for White Ribbon’s workshop with Newcastle fans. “I saw a lot of what happened to me,” she says, “like my ex-husband not being called out for the way that sometimes he spoke to me or about me to family and friends, and then obviously that escalated.

“I do think that football’s one of the best ways of bringing people together, and I think that sometimes it’s the best way to reach men who aren’t always reachable, so hopefully anything around football will help get other men on board.”

Teresa Parker, chair of Championship club Bristol City’s fan advisory board, worked at Women’s Aid for over 20 years and developed their Football United Against Domestic Violence campaign. She has helped create the ‘Unspoken Stat’ campaign with I Choose Freedom to highlight the possible rise in domestic abuse during this World Cup.

Ahead of the England game tonight, while football doesn’t cause domestic abuse, the #UnspokenStat is the xV – the amount violence is predicted to rise after the game, whether England win or lose. Get help at https://t.co/Ypmtf82G2S or call the national helpline on 0808 2000 247. pic.twitter.com/dT1IFuj31S

— Teresa Parker (@Teresa_PS) June 23, 2026

Using football, Parker says, can help reach a new audience who “are not within the bubble of people who already understand about violence against women and girls and domestic abuse”.

It is football that helped Michael McCarthy, chair of Newcastle’s fan advisory board, become more involved in the conversation. He participated in White Ribbon training through the club.

“To me, the conversation is the thing,” McCarthy says. “If you open up that conversation with a group of three friends, and they open it up with another friend each, and that just continues, that’s really important.

“Who knows — that conversation of three friends that I had, I don’t know if one of them is going home and doing something they shouldn’t be. Even if it’s your good mates, you never know who you’re talking to, and you never know what’s going on behind closed doors.

“So having that conversation isn’t a wasted conversation.”

“We strongly condemn violence of all kinds and encourage anyone who has been the subject of, or witness to, violent or criminal behaviour to report it to the police so that the matter can be appropriately investigated,” an FA spokesperson said.

The Football Supporters Association said: “Domestic abuse is a blight on society, and we’d encourage anyone who experiences it to contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline as soon as possible so they can receive the help and support they deserve.”

“Nobody should live in fear of sporting events,” Natalie Fleet, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said in a statement to The Athletic. “Cutting domestic abuse is central to our violence against women and girls’ strategy. This includes placing the first domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, as part of ‘Raneem’s Law,’ rolling out pioneering Domestic Abuse Protection Orders to protect victims, and, through the Enough campaign, working with some of the biggest names in sport to challenge harmful behaviours.

“We will always use the full power of the state to make this country safe for women and girls.”

If you would like to talk to someone having read this article, please try the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in the UK or the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States.