Factors Influencing Stakeholders' Knowledge of the 17 Football Laws on Football Violence Prevention in Southwest Nigeria

Football violence has caused deaths and injuries among stakeholders, especially spectators and fans. It has been perceived that if stakeholders have adequate knowledge of the laws of the game, the incidence of football violence may be reduced. This study investigated stakeholders' knowledge of the 17 football laws as a panacea to football violence. Descriptive survey research design of case study type was adopted and two research questions were answered. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 129 respondents. Knowledge of Football Laws Questionnaire with reliability coefficient of 0.78 was used. Findings revealed that updating of knowledge, training and familiarity with the laws of the game were factors influencing players' and club officials' knowledge of the 17 football laws on football violence prevention.