Leiria League Cup Final Clamps Down on Flares and Drunk Fans

A handful of supporters learned the hard way that fireworks and high blood-alcohol levels no longer pass unnoticed at Portuguese football grounds. Their exclusion from Saturday night’s League Cup climax in Leiria signalled a wider crackdown that could reshape match-day culture from the Minho to the Algarve.

A Final Under Tight Watch

The trophy may have gone to Vitória SC, but the other big winner was public safety. A reinforced PSP deployment, assisted by drones and an expanded CCTV grid, stopped three spectators at the turnstiles—two carrying pyrotechnic devices and one visibly intoxicated. Officers say the deterrent effect rippled beyond the 23,000-seat stadium, with vendors around the Estádio Municipal de Leiria ordered to suspend alcohol sales an hour earlier than usual.

Zero Tolerance in Action

The League Cup’s “final four” mini-tournament provided a live laboratory for the authorities’ tougher stance. Across the semi-finals and the final, 18 individuals were denied entry for breaching the Sports Law—a figure the Autoridade para a Prevenção e Combate à Violência no Desporto (APCVD) cites as proof that sharper screening is working. Since 2023, merely possessing a flare inside—or on the way into—a stadium can trigger prison sentences of up to 5 years or fines calculated in hundreds of days of income.

From Flares to Fines: Why Clubs Feel the Heat

Clubs may not light the flares, but they foot the bill. Over the past three seasons the FPF Disciplinary Council has levied €326,000 in pyrotechnics-related sanctions, with Benfica, Sporting, FC Porto, Braga and Vitória Guimarães absorbing two-thirds of that total. Single-match infractions can cost between €1,000 and €10,000, and repeat offenders risk partial stand closures that wipe out ticket revenue. Last season’s final alone forced Sporting to settle a €14,410 penalty after a flare ignited a minor fire and left a child with burns.

Alcohol Debate Rekindled

The removal of one drunken fan in Leiria rekindles a long-running row: should Portugal relax its near-total stadium alcohol ban? Liga Portugal argues that serving low-ABV beer inside grounds would reduce binge drinking in car parks and city squares, easing the burden on police outside. Critics—among them several public-health specialists—counter that any loosening could spike disorder. Government sources confirm talks are ongoing, but no legislative change is expected before the start of the 2026-27 season.

What Changes Next Season?

• Facial-recognition turnstiles: A pilot programme in Braga and Vila Nova de Gaia will test automated identification of banned fans.

• Stronger club compliance audits: Each top-flight side must file an updated Violence Prevention Plan or risk licence points.

• Training for stewards: The APCVD will double the number of accredited assistentes de recinto able to perform body searches.

The Bigger Picture for Portuguese Supporters

For the average ticket-holder these measures translate into longer queues, more bag checks, and potentially higher prices as clubs pass compliance costs downstream. Yet survey data in the latest RAViD report show that 73 % of fans already view pyrotechnic use as “dangerous” rather than “atmospheric.” The authorities believe that sentiment, combined with visible enforcement, can finally put out the flares—and perhaps pour cold water on pre-match excess—without dimming Portuguese football’s renowned passion.