Three charged over Champions League pitch invasion

Three people have been charged with invading the pitch during the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Yevhenii Lubnenko, 29, David Carneckij, 28, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons are accused of going on to the playing area at a football match contrary to Section 4 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991.

They will face court on 3 June, 10 July and 24 June respectively.

The force added that inquiries continue into two other people arrested in connection with the same incident.

In total, police made 56 arrests around the Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid - most of which were for attempts to breach security.

The police were confident that the "overwhelming majority" of attempts to unlawfully gain access to the stadium were unsuccessful, they added.

Prior to the match, the Football Association said that it had invested £5 million in improving safety, security and infrastructure at Wembley.

In 2021, when the final of the Euros was hosted at Wembley, thousands of ticketless fans caused mass disorder after trying to gain access to the stadium.

The event prompted a formal review by Baroness Casey, who described the incident as "a day of national shame".

More stewards, additional ticket checks, improved fencing, new security lanes and increased enforcement of the Public Space Protection Order were among the measures introduced ahead of Saturday's match, a Wembley stadium spokesperson said.