Police across the UK were present at every Premier League and EFL stadium last season, aiming to stop violence and other crimes taking place in stadia from the Emirates Stadium to the Eco-Power Stadium.
And, despite Manchester City's ambitions to come top of the Premier League by the end of this season, they have topped an unfortunate table with police officers sounding out more drugs at the Etihad Stadium than any other relic last year.
Throughout 2025, 386 drug seizures were made at matches in the top four divisions of English football in 2025, with substances including cocaine, cannabis, ketamine and ecstasy, according to The Sun.
However, that true number will likely be much higher - with only 19 of the 43 police forces in England responding to the figures.
Etihad Stadium
Etihad Stadium
And City's win wasn't by any means a slim margin. Their 60 seizures puts them miles clear at the top of the unwanted table, with local rivals Manchester United in second with 38.
Perhaps surprisingly, it's Championship outfit Charlton Athletic in third, with 32 drug seizures, though it's largely a Premier League return with Chelsea having 24, and Brighton having 17.
A return to the Championship happens agains in sixth, with Queens Park Rangers having 16, before another Premier League crusade takes place. Seventh place - as they are in the top-flight table in real life - are Brentford with 14, followed by FA Cup semi-finalists Leeds United and Champions League regulars Newcastle United.
Rounding off the top 10 are Oxford United, on six drug seizures, ensuring that the top ten grounds all ply their trade in the top two flights - though Charlton only earned promotion in May, and played League One football in the first half of the calendar year.
Rank Number of drug seizures
1. Man City 60
2. Man Utd 38
3. Charlton 32
4. Chelsea 24
5. Brighton 17
6. QPR 16
7. Brentford 14
8. Leeds 11
9. Newcastle 6
10. Oxford 6
Sniffer dogs are almost always in operation at football stadiums, with fears over drugs fuelling and inciting violence.
The UK Football Policing United said: “The increase in arrests and football banning orders demonstrates that the police are taking positive action to tackle the problems.
"We collectively need to make football a safe environment for the overwhelming majority of fans.”
Police
In September 2024, it was confirmed that there was a 14 percent increase in football-related arrests in England and Wales in the 2023-24 season, due to Euro 2024 and a surge in possession of Class A drugs.
And, during the 2024-25 season, it was rivals United who topped the table for number of fans arrested last season for being in possession of Class A drugs, with 1,803 football-related arrests involving supporters of clubs in the top six tiers.
City will evidently be looking to lower that number in the coming years, having doubled every club's tally outside the top three.