The English Football Association has confirmed that a security breach at Wembley Stadium was attended by a "small group" of people - some reportedly without tickets - in the build-up to Sunday's Euro 2020 final between Italy and England.
Italy beat England in a shootout to hoist the Euro trophy at the end of a chaotic day.
Videos circulated on social media of groups of supporters breaking the barriers of the outer perimeter around Wembley about two hours before kickoff.
After previously saying that there had been no violations, a Wembley Stadium spokesperson confirmed that people had indeed gained access to the ground: "There was a security breach and a small group of people broke into the stadium. Now we are at the stadium." We are working closely with the U.S. managers and security to remove these people. Anyone inside the stadium without a ticket will be kicked out immediately."
Police said they had arrested 49 people while policing the Euro 2020 final after the match and said 19 officers were injured in clashes with the volatile crowd around Wembley.
The Metropolitan Police said on Twitter: "Many officers are on duty, helping fans leaving Wembley or Central London. We are there for your safety."
One video shows a group of fans running towards the main reception. London Police said they had assisted security teams on the field.
The Metropolitan Police said on Twitter: "Wembley security officials have confirmed that there has been no breach of ticketed security inside the stadium."
However, the initial FA statement came just before 6:30 pm. BST (1:30 p.m. ET) in London, after which eyewitness reports suggested there were fans who managed to breach security protocols and gain access. Unconfirmed reports suggest that a scuffle broke out at the gathering and fans with valid tickets were already reaching out to find people sitting in their seats, triggering a confrontation with the stewards.
Some security personnel were attacked, witnesses told Reuters, and entry to the stadium was blocked for more than 20 minutes while order was restored at the entrance.
Outside the arena, several thousand fans continued to drink and party in the area immediately adjacent to the entry points, with empty beer cans across the street.
Some eyewitnesses said they saw fans running from the seating area inside the ground and security personnel chasing them.
There was a party atmosphere inside the arena and fans were singing "Sweet Caroline" and "Three Lions" - the unofficial anthem of the England team.
Police had previously urged supporters not to travel to Wembley without match tickets, and complained of several fires in the area around railway stations in London.
The 90,000-seat Wembley was earmarked for a pandemic-restricted capacity of around 67,000 before the match.
At least eight hours before 8 p.m., thousands of fans gathered at Wembley Way. BST starts in repeat sequences across London.
There were reports of queues forming outside pubs as early as 6 a.m. BST, while several tourist areas in the city, including Leicester Square, were packed with supporters throughout the day.
There will be a maximum of 65,000 people at Wembley for Sunday's final. Television viewership in England is expected to exceed 30 million - more than half the country's population.