Legislation that will make it an offence for anyone in England and Wales to tout tickets for every match in this summer's football World Cup in Germany has been laid before Parliament, Home Office Minister Paul Goggins announced today.

Existing legislation prohibits the touting of tickets for any domestic football match and overseas club match or international match in which the England or Wales national team is playing.  The new measure extends the definition of a match for which it is an offence to sell unauthorized tickets to include tournaments and competitions organised by FIFA or UEFA in which the England or Wales national team, or a senior club side from England or Wales, is eligible to participate.

Paul Goggins said:

"This legislation is a significant addition to the package of policing and security measures the Government has already announced ahead of this summer's World Cup.  The new measure extends the definition of a match for which it is an offence to tout tickets.

"Ticket touting legislation covering football matches is a necessary public order measure based on the importance of ensuring the segregation of supporters. This is an important change to avoid the situation where tickets are sold for some matches for which touting would only become illegal once the competing teams are known.

"This measure further demonstrates the strong spirit of cooperation shared between the Government and relevant football authorities to ensure a successful and secure football tournament. "

Brian Barwick, Chief Executive of The Football Association, said

"The Football Association and the Government are working closely together to ensure that the World Cup is a safe and enjoyable tournament.  It has been extremely frustrating to see online touts, who we monitor on a daily basis, undermining all this good work by selling tickets for the latter rounds in which England could be playing.  The new regulations will close this loophole and should lead to a better tournament for all England fans in Germany this summer."

Urs Linsi, FIFA General Secretary, said:

"FIFA welcomes this major step in the fight against ticket touting taken by the UK government. The security and protection of fans visiting the World Cup is our top priority. The new legislation in the UK helps FIFA to strengthen its fight against the illegal selling of tickets on the black market both through traditional channels and the internet.

"The German Local Organising Committee, who are responsible for ticketing operations is working closely with official bodies to fight against fraud and abuse of fans, particularly with regards to the illegal sale of tickets. Any tickets which are bought through unofficial websites or on the black market may be rendered invalid and the ticket holder will not gain access to the stadium.

"The German Local Organising Committee has instituted a Ticket Exchange Platform on FIFAworldcup.com which enables any supporter who has a ticket for a match they cannot attend to return it for resale with appropriate security checks applied."

UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson said:

"We welcome this new measure, which will provide additional protection not just at this summer's World Cup but also for future European Football Championships and at UEFA Champions League games. I commend the UK Government for listening to the concerns of the football authorities and taking the lead on this issue, which affects football fans not just in England but right across Europe.

"Ticket touting is a growing problem and we urge other Governments to follow the lead set by the British Government."