Roberts reportedly described England fans in the United States and Mexico as “exemplary” and said the travelling support had been “absolutely fantastic”.
That marks a striking shift from the outdated image of England supporters as an automatic security threat. Football banning orders, passport restrictions and stronger cooperation with host nations appear to have helped keep organised troublemakers away from major tournaments.
The remaining problems, Roberts suggested, are more often linked to alcohol and isolated disorder than coordinated hooliganism. That distinction matters: judging supporters by their behaviour, rather than their reputation, is essential for future tournaments.
The picture around England matches in Britain is far more troubling. The report says police dealt with violence connected to matches shown in pubs and public spaces, with incidents reportedly including brawls, sexual offences and serious assaults.
Roberts also reportedly argued that the worst disorder came around England’s semi-final against Argentina, while criticising a late change to licensing hours. Police forces had known the fixtures were coming, but were left with limited time to organise staffing and resources.
That is the central issue. If authorities expect large crowds to gather for England matches, planning cannot begin days before kick-off. Funding, intelligence-sharing and clear licensing decisions must be in place well ahead of the tournament.
The challenge is to preserve the positive culture seen among travelling supporters while preventing domestic fixtures from becoming flashpoints. Younger fans, online hate and alcohol-fuelled disorder will require a broader response than traditional match-day policing alone.
England’s next tournament will provide the test. The question is whether Roberts’ warning leads to earlier planning and greater investment-or whether “We must do better” becomes a familiar refrain after the next crisis.