The night after the World Cup qualifying match between the men's national teams of Latvia and England in Riga was relatively calm for law enforcement — there were quite a few fans on the streets, but they did not disturb public order, said Janis Barzdaunis, Deputy Head of the Riga Regional Police and Head of the Main Public Safety Department, in an interview with Latvian Radio, as reported by LETA.
According to him, there were no serious incidents involving English football fans reported in Riga last night. Only a few cases related to excessive alcohol consumption were registered, but they were insignificant, added the police representative.
He noted that in the days leading up to the important football match, the State Police closely collaborated with colleagues from England and the Riga Municipal Police to ensure order. Monitoring was conducted both on the streets of the capital and online.
"I can admit that these football festivities went without serious incidents," summarized Barzdaunis, adding that the police had thoroughly prepared for the event, considering previous experiences with fans from the Netherlands and Greece.
The main focus was on tactics and methods of working with English fans, although some individuals required increased attention, the police representative did not hide.
As previously reported, the Latvia men's national football team suffered a crushing defeat in Riga on Tuesday in the World Cup 2026 qualifying match against the England team, which secured its place in the final tournament.
The police had prepared in advance to ensure order during the stay of English fans in Riga.
