Violence in football: legal responsibility of clubs, federations and players

Violence in football is not just a social problem — it’s a legal problem The Disciplinary Code of FIFA (September 2025 edition) devotes a substantial part of its articles to regulating violent behavior in and outside the playing field, and to establishing who responds when things get out of control: the player, the club, the federation, or all at once.

What many do not know is that the responsibility of clubs and federations for the violence of their fans is objective — that is, it exists even if the club proves that it was not negligent. And that penalties can range from a fine to the exclusion of competitions or the decline in category.

In this article, I explain to you the full regulatory framework: the responsibility of players for violent conduct on the court, the responsibility of clubs and federations for their fans, the FIFA three-tier procedure against violence, and what rights the player who is the victim of aggression has.

What this article covers

Violent conduct of players and officers: sanctions in article 14
Incitement to violence: art. 14, para. 4
Objective responsibility of clubs and federations: art. 17
Fan conducts that generate club responsibility
Security obligations of the host club
The FIFA three-tiered procedure against discrimination and violence
Club sanctions: from fines to exclusion
Rights of players who are victims of assault
Intersection with domestic criminal law

Violent conduct of players and officers

Article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code establishes a scale of sanctions For the incorrect conduct of players and officers in matches or competitions. Minimum penalties for violence are:

Conduct	Minimum penalty
Anti-sporting conduct towards adversary or person (non-party official)	At least. 1 match
Sudden and severe game	At least. 2 matches
Provocation of spectators	At least. 2 matches
Violent conduct	At least. 3 matches
Assault to an adversary or person (hooks, punches, kicks, bites, spits)	At least. 3 matches
Anti-sport behaviour towards a party officer	At least. 4 matches
Intimidation or threat a Party Officer	At least. 10 matches
Assault on party officer	At least. 15 matches

The conduct of apdos. (b), (f), (j) and (k) is also sanctioned outside the fieldThis means that a player who threatens a rival or a referee on Instagram, Twitter or any other platform can be punished just as if he had done it on the court.

Incitement to hatred or violence

Article 14, paragraph 4, establishes an aggravated penalty: a player or official who public incitement to hatred or violence — on the occasion of a game or competition, shall be punished by the prohibition of football-related activities for at least 6 months and a minimum fine of CHF 5,000. If the incitement occurs through social networks or mass media, or in the stadium on the day of the match, the minimum fine goes up to CHF 20,000.

Objective responsibility of clubs and federations: art. 17

This is the most important — and the most severe — article of the violence regime of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

The security obligations of the host club

Article 17, paragraph 1, states that the host club or federation of the party is responsible for:

Evaluate the risk level of each meeting and inform FIFA of the high risk ones
Comply with and implement safety standards existing
Take all security measures the circumstances, before, during and after the game, in and around the stadium
Ensuring the security of party officers, players and visiting team officers
Inform the local authorities and to collaborate with them
Ensuring the order in the stadiums and its surroundings and the correct organization of the parties

Strict liability for the conduct of fans

Article 17, paragraph 2, states that if one or more fans of a federation or club adopt certain inappropriate behaviours, the club or federation shall be responsible and may receive disciplinary measures, even if it proves that there was no negligence on its part linked to the party's organization.

Objective responsibility = no guilt. It doesn't matter that the club has hired security, that it has done everything "good" or that the violence has been perpetrated by people who weren't even club members. the club respondsThis is one of the most stringent provisions of all international sports law.

Fan behaviors that generate strict club responsibility include: invasion or attempt to invade the playing ground, throwing objects, lighting fireworks or other objects, use of laser pointers, use of gestures, words or objects to convey inappropriate messages (including of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature), acts that cause damage, cause disturbances during national anthems, and any other lack of order or discipline.

Penalties to clubs and federations

The sanctions for violations of article 17 are progressively increasing:

First infringement
Fines from CHF 5,000 to 15,000 depending on the type of non-compliance. For serious incidents, you can include matches with limited number of spectators.

Reoffending
Higher fines + closed-door matches + point deduction + ban on playing in a given stadium.

Serious or repeated violations
Defeat by withdrawal or resignation, exclusion of competitions, or downgrade. They are the maximum penalties of the FIFA system.

Rights of players who are victims of violence

The Disciplinary Code recognizes specific rights for players who are victims of aggression, particularly in the context of racist and discriminatory violence (art. 15):

Complaint: Players who suffer racist attacks from the public may inform the referee through the official gesture of FIFA, or in any other way. The referee may immediately activate the first level of the anti-discrimination procedure.

Victim statement: When the second level of the procedure (temporary suspension of the match) is applied, the victim player may file a statement with the FIFA Disciplinary Commission. If the club cannot deny the assault with sufficient evidence, the victim's statement is accepted.

Participation in the process: Victims of discriminatory behaviour may be invited to make a statement, have the right to request a reasoned decision, and may appeal and act as a party to the appeal procedure (art. 15, para. 8).

The FIFA procedure on three levels

For incidents of discrimination and violence during a party, FIFA implemented a three-level procedure which the arbitrator may apply:

Level	Action by the arbitrator	Consequence
1	Interrupt the game	Organizers are asked to intervene to stop the conduct. Staff are deployed to the affected stadium section.
2	Temporary suspension of the game	Teams go to locker rooms. A time limit is given for cessation of conduct. The victim player may request expulsion of the assailants if they are identifiable.
3	Definitely suspends the game	If the conduct does not cease, the arbiter suspends the party definitively. Except in exceptional circumstances, the defeat is declared by resignation or withdrawal for the responsible club.

The intersection with criminal law

FIFA's disciplinary sanctions do not exclude criminal or civil liability. A player who assaults a rival can be sanctioned by FIFA and also be criminally reported for injuries in the country where the incident occurred. Similarly, a club may face disciplinary penalties from FIFA and at the same time civil liability for damages before the country’s ordinary courts. Jurisdictions are not mutually exclusive.

Each country has its own legislation on violence at sporting events. In Argentina, Act No. 23,184 (as amended by Act No. 24,192) on criminal and counter-vention regimes for the prevention and suppression of violence at sporting events provides for specific sanctions. In Spain, Act No. 19/2007 on violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport regulates the subject. In the United Kingdom, Football (Disorder) Act 2000 allows the imposition of banners. Each jurisdiction has its own particularities, and national legislation applies in parallel to FIFA sanctions.

What a club should do to protect itself

Although responsibility is objective, prevention matters

Assess the risk of each game and communicates high-risk ones to FIFA.
Implements security protocols before, during and after the game, in the stadium and surroundings.
Actively collaborates with local authorities and document that collaboration.
Have an anti-discrimination plan If an incident occurs, a plan can mitigate the sanction (art. 15, para. 7).
Identify and punish offenders. It forbids their entry into the stadium, which leads to judicial authorities when appropriate.
Educate the swollen. Communication campaigns, dialogue with bar leaders, and work with specialized NGOs.
Document everything: Security cameras, delegates' reports, communications with authorities, evidence is your best defense if you're facing a procedure.

This guide is based on the Disciplinary Code of FIFA (September 2025 edition, arts. 14, 15 and 17), the FIFA Statutes, and national legislation of reference (Argentina Law 23.184/24.192, Spain Law 19/2007, UK Football Disorder Act 2000). This guidance is informative and does not replace the advice of a specialized lawyer.

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Violence in football: legal responsibility of clubs, federations and players