The Football (Offences and Disorder) Act aims to prevent soccer thugs from travelling abroad and from attending domestic matches.

The BBC's Adam Mynott reoprts on the measures intended to stop hooligans from taking their violence abroad"

The biggest change under the new act, which pulls together and extends various pieces of existing legislation, will be a broader definition of a football-related crime.

Any offence committed by a fan within 24 hours either side of a game, and in its general vicinity, will be considered as such.

There will also be new penalties for an individual taking part in racist and abusive chanting (at the moment, two or more must be involved), inciting crime and ticket touting.

Courts will be empowered to confiscate the passports of any convicted hooligans up to five days before an international match, to stop them travelling abroad.

International banning orders will be extended to last for up to 10 years.

Hooligans could also be banned from attending all domestic league, cup and international games for three years.

The BBC's Kathryn Robinson: "Police say it will lead to many more arrests"

The UK government is keen to enhance the reputation of the game, as part of its campaign to bring the World Cup to the UK in 2006.

Last month, new figures showed a rise in football hooliganism in the UK for the first time in six years.

Arrests for football-related offences in England and Wales increased to 3,341 during the 1998/9 season, compared with 3,307 for the previous season.