Tips for First-Time Groundhoppers in England (especially Americans)

I put a post up on Threads after seeing a few Americans asking about protocol when visiting football matches in England for the first time. I’ve been going to football here since 1986 and have watched football in many countries around the world, so have been able to make comparisons.

In short, here are some important things you need to know* on etiquette at English football. These are particularly relevant when visiting Premier League fixtures, which will be sell-outs. The scarcity of Premier League tickets is one of the reasons ‘football tourists’ are sometimes not well-received in sold-out games, so it’s even more important that you get involved with the activity.

You always have a better chance of a ticket watching football in lower divisions and non-league and you can check for fixtures on Football Webpages or download the FutbologyApp to find fixtures near you. The club and its fans will probably be much more welcoming/curious.

After reading the below, you may be left with the impression that English football viewing is aggressive. It’s certainly atmospheric, but not dangerous. In nearly 40 years of watching football across England, I’ve quite literally seen one punch thrown (and it missed) – at an FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Spurs at Wembley in 1993 – while I’ve seen full-on riots in Madrid and Hamburg.

Here are some basics which I think groundhoppers should consider: 

Football Fans are Segregated

Before you even set off, please note that – unlike other sports in the UK (rugby, cricket, tennis etc.) and unlike sports in the US, football fans are kept apart here. If you bought from the club you’re visiting directly, you’ll be in with the home fans. Therefore, if you’re neutral or even prefer the away side, cheer along with the home fans. Get involved, you’ll pick the songs up fairly quickly.

If you are with the home fans, do not wear club colours of any club other than the home club (e.g. shirt/jersey, scarf or hat). Or wear neutral colours (black, grey etc.). Half-and-half scarves are frowned upon.

Arriving at the Ground

Plan your route and get to the ground around 30 minutes before kick-off to a) sample the pre-match buzz and take outside photos and b) to get through security. You’ll have your ticket scanned at the gates and then have a quick frisk or bag check. Your ticket will inform you what you can or can’t bring in, but I recommend not bringing a bag at all and no drinks etc.

Pre-match, many fans will enjoy a beer in a nearby pub or at the ground concourse bars. Please note that in the Premier League, Football League, and the National League (top tier of non-league football), alcohol is banned within sight of the pitch (it’s a legacy law from 1985, the dark days of hooliganism), so you cannot take beer to your seat. A steward will likely stop you anyway. That’s why many people prefer non-league football.

Unlike the US, we have an extensive public transport network. It is pricey compared to mainland Europe (blame privatisation for that) but, despite what you might read, it is usually reliable. Most grounds are reachable by train, Underground or bus. That in itself is part of the experience. We also have taxis and Uber.

Seating

Football stadiums in the upper echelons of English football are all-seater. On your ticket, you’ll have a stand, block, row and seat number, and you should stick to it. Make sure you’re in your seat at least five minutes before kick-off – there may be an on-pitch presentation or minute’s silence/applause (in which case, observe it). Don’t move out of your seat until half-time; football differs from US sports in that there are not regular timeouts.

You will be up and down throughout when something of significance happens in the game, such as a striker bearing down on goal, or a shot whizzing past the post. You may also be up on your feet at a corner or freekick. You’ll mostly be up and down again after a few seconds, and you can take your cue from other people around you. If you’re in an area of hardcore fans, they may stand throughout. Don’t complain, just go with it and stand. 

Some people leave before the final whistle – train to catch, team 4-0 down with three minutes to go etc. – but it’s worth staying to the end.

In lower divisions with a sparse crowd, you can move around within that stand if a seat is free and in the non-league it’s usually general entry and you can sit/stand wherever you like; the most vocal fans tend to gather behind the goal to which their team is kicking and change ends at half-time. Some have safe standing, so you’ll need to stand there.

Terminology

In England, the sport is called ‘football’, and never ‘soccer’, even though the origins of the word ‘soccer’ are very English indeed, reportedly first coined by Charles Wreford Brown of the famous amateur side, Corinthians. ‘Soccer’ is a very useful word in countries like the US, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland, where other codes of football are predominant, but just stick to ‘football’ here.

Similarly, refer to England’s top-flight as the ‘Premier League’; no one really calls it the ‘EPL’ here.

You’ll hear loads of new words, like ‘lino’ for the assisted referee (used to be called a ‘linesman’) running the touchline. 

You will most likely hear profanities that you don’t use in the US, many of which will be directed towards the referee or opposition players and manager. If you have children, they will be likely exposed to a LOT of F- and C-words, and rude hand gestures.

Get involved

Take your pictures before kick-off, then maybe one or two throughout play but on the whole, keep your camera in your pocket and immerse yourself in the action. Again, if you’re a neutral just cheer and clap along with the home fans. If you prefer the away side, do not show it; do not cheer or support them. 

Enjoy the spectacle and, after your first match, you’ll know the etiquette for your next game. 

Where to go

The ‘Big Six’ are popular abroad, for obvious reasons, but I thoroughly recommend exploring English football outside these clubs and the wider Premier League. You will get a different experience everywhere, but you can pretty much always book online at every level nowadays – you can even pick your own seat in some cases to ensure you are sat together. 

In general, tickets will be more expensive on the side stands as your view will be better, but this is also where you’ll be able to appreciate more of the game. Most of the hardcore will be behind a goal, and away fans are likely to be at the other end. It can be a good experience to sit in the home fans but near enough to the away end to observe the back and forth between the sets of fans. I took a Finnish friend-of-a-friend to his first English game, which was a feisty affair between unlikely rivals Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. We sat near enough the Palace away support for him to hear the chants and me to explain the meaning behind them.

With a London-centric viewpoint, plenty of clubs are easily accessible and you are unlikely to struggle to get tickets unless it’s a derby. I would say this as it’s the club I support, but Queens Park Rangers is a good option – decent second tier football in an ageing stadium with friendly atmosphere. Charlton Athletic are in the third tier but, again, it’s friendly and accessible. Millwall is fine, despite its reputation, and will give you a different experience, and it’s just one stop south of London Bridge station. Two stops beyond that, you’re at Dulwich Hamlet, a progressive and fun club that attracts more than 3,000 fans to games in the seventh tier of the English Pyramid.

Further out, Leyton Orient and AFC Wimbledon will give you good ‘local club’ vibes. Any visitor to London should also check out Craven Cottage, Fulham, even if you can’t get a matchday ticket.

If you can’t score a ticket to the Premier League match you’re after, stadium tours are an option. If you follow Arsenal, be sure to make time to visit the club’s former home at Highbury, around a kilometre away. 

I think that’s about it. Hit me up on Threads, Bluesky or Instagram if I missed anything.

*Please note these are merely my observations and do not constitute ‘advice’.