Hooligans banned from England tour

Thousands of England football hooligans will be banned from the US during their team's tour of the country this month.

The Home Office today confirmed a record 2,695 fans who are subject to football banning orders will not be allowed to travel to watch England during the week-long visit.

Sven-Gˆran Eriksson's side fly to America on 24 May and play USA in Chicago on 28 May. They then play Colombia at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey on 31 May, and fly home after the match.

Fans subject to banning orders must hand in their passports to their local police station five days before the first fixture and report to police on matchdays. The orders apply to England's match with Denmark in Copenhagen on 17 August.

Banning orders last between two and 10 years. A breach carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and/or a £5,000 fine.

A total of 2,188 England and Wales fans were barred from going to Portugal during Euro 2004. There was little trouble in Lisbon, but some fighting between drunken fans and police in the resort of Albufeira.

Mark Perryman, of the England Fans Group, said he did not expect trouble during the US tour. He said: "Banning orders are vital, but also essential are how we are policed by the home country and received by the people; fans developing a friendly reputation; and how the media cover hooliganism."