British football supporters heading to Spain for the World Cup could find themselves hit with fines reaching £500 simply for wearing their England shirts in popular tourist spots like Benidorm.
With the tournament set to begin on 11 June and England’s opening fixture following six days later, thousands of fans are expected to descend on Spanish coastal resorts to watch the action unfold.
Influencer Harry Poulton, 25, who relocated from Brighton to Benidorm, warned: “You could get fined up to £500 for wearing an England football top this summer here in Benidorm.”
He added: “There’s actually talk of parts of Spain where they’re not going to want you to wear your football top.”
Fans abroad could face fines of £500 for wearing England shirts
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The restrictions form part of a wider Spanish effort to tackle clothing linked to boozy tourism across the country.
Tourists caught wandering away from beaches in swimwear or going shirtless also risk penalties of up to £500 in various locations.
Back in 2022, a collection of restaurants in Playa de Palma, Majorca, joined forces to refuse entry to anyone sporting football shirts of any team.
Fed up with intoxicated fans, these establishments insisted only “simple clothing” would be acceptable, banning tank tops without straps, swimming costumes, and even novelty items like glow-in-the-dark hats bought from street vendors.
Football fans are expected to descend on popular locations in Spain including Benidorm ahead of the World Cup
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GETTY
One Sure Insurance told Birmingham Live: “We are seeing increasing numbers of British tourists head to their holiday destinations to enjoy matches in the sun.”
The company explained that this surge has led to growing bans on specific items of clothing, including football shirts and novelty wear, all aimed at creating a more respectful atmosphere.
“Majorca has seen multiple restaurants targeting clothes associated with drunken tourism,” they added.
The insurer also noted that wearing bikinis or going bare-chested in swimming shorts away from beach areas could result in fines reaching £500 across several Spanish locations.
Police are gearing up to flood Benidorm’s streets as part of a major World Cup security operation in the beloved British holiday destination.
The World Cup features an expanded format with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four | GETTY
Spanish authorities have announced additional patrols after anticipating the arrival of thousands of English supporters this summer.
The Costa Blanca resort has become increasingly popular with fans seeking an alternative to watching matches elsewhere.
It turns out many Brits have abandoned plans to attend the World Cup in person, put off by astronomical ticket prices reaching as high as £8.5 million.
Harry Poulton suggested the clothing restrictions might be designed to prevent violence, adding: “Maybe they want you to wear the Spanish football top.”
