Metropolitan Police are treating the death of a 33-year-old man at Charlton Athletic’s ground as unexpected, with officers examining the possibility that he fell from height in the early hours of Monday.

Officers were called to The Valley in south-east London on Tuesday 18 August after concerns for a person’s welfare. Alongside crews from the London Ambulance Service, they found the man inside the stadium. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his next of kin have been informed.

The Met has asked anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference 2809/18AUG.

Club rules out wrongdoing

Charlton Athletic issued a statement on Tuesday evening. The club confirmed it is helping the investigation and asked for restraint from those covering the story.

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“The club are continuing to assist the authorities with their inquiries and respectfully ask that the privacy of those affected is respected.”

“There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of the club.”

The Addicks also passed on condolences to the man’s family, friends and loved ones, and praised staff at the ground for how they handled the situation.

Three days on from the opener

The discovery came less than 72 hours after Charlton had opened the 2026-27 Championship season at The Valley. On Saturday 15 August, Nathan Jones’s side came from behind to beat Derby County 2-1.

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Sammie Szmodics gave the visitors a first-half lead before Lloyd Jones headed in a Karlan Grant cross on 61 minutes. Tyreece Campbell settled it with an 80th-minute strike on his weaker left foot.

The Metropolitan Police have not disclosed the identity of the man, and no further detail has been released about how he came to be inside the stadium.

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