The UK government is set to bar over 7,000 criminals, either released from prison or serving community sentences, from drinking alcohol during the ongoing 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, by forcing them to wear innovative alcohol tags on their ankles.

The UK government, in a statement on Saturday, said the innovative tags, which measure alcohol intake 24/7, are part of efforts to cut booze-fuelled crime during the ongoing tournament, when drinking is expected to soar as fans watch football matches in pubs and at home.

The statement read, “Streets will be safer as thousands of offenders are to be banned from drinking alcohol during the World Cup this summer as part of the government’s commitment to cut booze-fuelled crime. Statistics show that around 7,300 criminals, either released from prison or serving a community sentence, will be forced to wear alcohol tags at some point during the tournament. 

“The innovative tags work around the clock and quickly detect if an offender has been drinking by analysing their sweat. If an offender dares to have a drink, an alert is sent to their probation officer, who can take action to punish them, such as an order to return to court or even prison. 

“The tags are accurate enough to distinguish between those simply soaking up the atmosphere at pubs and fan zones where alcohol is present, and those risking a red card by actively drinking.”

The government stated that about 5,000 offenders had already been fitted with a tag when the World Cup started, while the remaining 2,300 will soon be tagged with the technology, adding that statistics have shown that offenders on community orders comply with alcohol bans 97 per cent of the time.

“As part of the government’s action to make streets safer, tens of thousands more criminals will be tagged over the next three years as part of a major technology expansion,” the government added.