More than 700 known football hooligans from Britain will be free to travel to this year's World Cup in Germany, despite a record number of banning orders being in place. According to The Times, official soccer banning orders will be in force on 4,000 troublemakers, meaning they will have to surrender their passports for the duration of the tournament.

But the newspaper said Thursday that of the 877 three-year bans that will have expired before the start of the competition on June 9, the Home Office has only sought to renew 161. This means 716 will be able to make the short trip to Germany, it said.

All of those handed bans have been involved in soccer-related violence in or around grounds in Britain. A Home Office spokesman was quoted as saying: "In most cases, individuals cease to be a threat once subject to a banning order -- they lose contact and status with their peer group, they move on and grow up.

"That's why the number of individuals subject to follow-on banning orders is relatively few," the spokesman said.

The newspaper, quoting unnamed senior police sources, said any of the 716 who do travel will be closely monitored by British police "spotters," on hand to assist their German counterparts in rooting out potential troublemakers.

They will also be prevented from buying tickets for England's matches through the official England supporters' club, it added.

British police have taken a pro-active approach in recent tournaments to prevent repeats of the hooliganism that blighted England's involvement in overseas competitions in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Action includes increased use of banning orders, plus having plainclothes and uniformed officers on the ground working with their foreign counterparts to minimize trouble.