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Best Place To Buy Arsenal Tickets
Written by Aviran Zazon | Last updated on February 18, 2026
If you are trying to work out the best place to buy Arsenal tickets, the starting point is understanding one simple truth: almost every Premier League match at the Emirates is sold through membership ballots.
General sale is practically unheard of.
That shapes everything. Whether you live in North London or overseas, your realistic options depend on whether you hold membership, how flexible you are and how much certainty you need.
This guide breaks down every legitimate route and explains how Arsenal’s system actually behaves across a season, so you can choose the approach that fits your situation.
No Membership Needed!
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Buying Direct From Arsenal
For many supporters, buying directly from Arsenal FC feels like the obvious route. It is also the most restrictive.
The club has roughly 40,000 season ticket holders, which immediately takes up the majority of the Emirates Stadium’s 60,000 capacity. What remains is allocated primarily to members.
For Premier League matches:
- Silver Members enter a ballot first (with good odds of securing a seat)
- Red Members enter a ballot afterwards (often with low odds, around 10%)
- Successful applicants are charged automatically
- General sale is extremely rare
There is no regular first-come, first-served rush for league games. Instead, you register during a defined ballot window and wait for the outcome.
For high-demand fixtures such as North London derbies or clashes with other top-six clubs, ballots are heavily oversubscribed. Even mid-table league matches often attract more applicants than available seats.
Away matches operate differently. Tickets are distributed using a loyalty points system, rewarding supporters who have attended away games consistently over multiple seasons. Casual buyers are effectively priced out of this route.
Buying directly through the club gives you face value pricing and maximum legitimacy. It also offers the least flexibility if you are not already part of the membership structure.
You can explore the mechanics of official sales in more detail through this breakdown of official Arsenal tickets.
Membership And Ballot Realities
Membership is not optional if you want access to standard tickets.
Arsenal FC offer Red Membership as the main entry tier for most supporters, while Silver Membership is typically accessed after time spent on the waiting list.
Here is the key point: membership improves your odds, but it does not guarantee a seat.
Ballots open and close within strict windows, often weeks before the match. If you miss that registration period, you miss your chance. If you apply, you may still be unsuccessful due to oversubscription.
Cup competitions can sometimes follow slightly different patterns, particularly in early rounds, but Premier League demand remains consistently high.
The confusion around this system regularly surfaces among first-time buyers. For example:
How do i even go about getting tickets... by u/Baymax94 in ArsenalFC
The recurring issue is not that tickets are impossible to obtain. It is that the system requires advance planning and an understanding of ballot timelines.
If you expect a simple public sale, you will likely be disappointed. If you understand how ballots work, you can at least position yourself correctly.
A deeper explanation of tiers and access is available in this guide to Arsenal membership.
The Arsenal Ticket Exchange
When members fail in the ballot, the next official route is the Arsenal Ticket Exchange.
This platform allows season ticket holders to resell their seat at face value if they cannot attend. Only members can access it.
Operationally, it behaves like this:
- Listings appear unpredictably
- High-demand games see tickets disappear quickly
- Availability often improves within the final 72 hours before kick-off
The advantage is clarity. You pay face value, and the ticket is transferred securely to your membership account.
The drawback is uncertainty. You may need to check repeatedly over several days before securing a seat, especially for premium fixtures.
More detail on how it functions can be found in the overview of the Arsenal Ticket Exchange.
Hospitality Packages At The Emirates
Hospitality sits outside the ballot structure.
Packages at the Emirates typically include:
- Club Level padded seating
- Access to premium lounges
- Dining options before kick-off
- Complimentary refreshments in certain tiers
Unlike general admission, hospitality seats are not distributed through member ballots. They are sold directly by the club and through authorised partners.
This means availability is often stronger, even for major matches.
Prices are significantly higher than standard tickets. You are paying for guaranteed access and an upgraded matchday experience.
For special occasions, corporate use, or international visitors who cannot rely on ballots, hospitality can be the most predictable route. You can review specific tiers and inclusions in this guide to Arsenal hospitality packages.
Secondary Marketplaces
Secondary marketplaces exist because demand consistently exceeds supply.
When ballots close and the Ticket Exchange dries up, resale platforms become the remaining option for many supporters.
Pricing reflects:
- The opponent
- League position
- Kick-off timing
- Seat location within the Emirates
A derby or potential title-deciding match will typically command higher prices than a routine fixture.
It is not accurate to assume resale is always extreme. Some matches appear closer to face value, particularly outside peak demand.
The main distinction lies in platform reliability. Established resale sites generally offer buyer protection and clear seat details. Informal social media transactions carry more risk and less recourse.
Comparing Your Options Clearly
| Buying Route | Difficulty Level | Price Type | Guarantee Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member ballot (Red/Silver) | Very high demand | Face value | Very high | Planned, committed members |
| Official Ticket Exchange | Variable | Face value | Very high | Flexible members |
| Hospitality | Straightforward | Premium | Very high | Certainty and special occasions |
| Secondary marketplace | Accessible | Market-based | Varies by seller | Sold-out fixtures |
| Ticket-Compare.com | Straightforward | Market-based | Seller-backed guarantees | Comparing multiple sellers |
Why Some Fans Use A Ticket Comparison Platform
When navigating resale and hospitality options, many supporters prefer to compare availability rather than searching individual sites one by one.
Right now there are 55,931 Arsenal tickets available on Ticket-Compare.com.
Ticket-Compare.com is a ticket comparison platform rather than a seller. It lists tickets from pre-vetted resale sites alongside authorised hospitality partners, allowing supporters to view different sections of the Emirates and compare pricing in one place.
In real time, Arsenal tickets currently start at $90, and the price depends on where you choose to sit and how in-demand the match may be.
Instead of opening multiple tabs, fans can review options across categories, then click through to complete their purchase directly with the seller.
An approaching Arsenal match that is selling quickly is Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal at $90, though you can still find tickets with Ticket-Compare.com.
All tickets listed come with seller-backed money-back guarantees, which adds a layer of reassurance when using secondary options.
Best Place to Buy Arsenal Tickets | Frequently Asked Questions
How can I buy Arsenal tickets without being a member?
For most Premier League matches, standard tickets are distributed through member ballots rather than public sale, so buying without membership is difficult.
Your realistic alternatives are hospitality packages, which are sold separately from ballots, or reputable resale listings with buyer guarantees.
Many international supporters use comparison platforms such as Ticket-Compare.com to view authorised hospitality and vetted resale options in one place.
Do tickets get cheaper closer to the game?
On Arsenal’s official Ticket Exchange, prices remain at face value, so waiting does not reduce cost, it only affects availability.
On the wider resale market, prices can fluctuate as kick-off approaches. Lower-demand fixtures sometimes soften in price, while high-profile matches often hold firm or increase if supply tightens. Timing matters, but it is driven by demand rather than automatic discounts.
How quickly do Arsenal tickets sell out?
Premier League matches effectively sell out during the member ballot stage. With around 40,000 season ticket holders taking most seats at the Emirates, remaining tickets are limited and ballots are often oversubscribed, particularly for derbies and top-six clashes.
In practice, fixtures are fully allocated weeks before matchday, leaving only Ticket Exchange listings or resale options available.
Why are Arsenal tickets so expensive?
Prices reflect a combination of limited supply and sustained demand. Arsenal regularly fill the Emirates, and high-stakes matches intensify competition for seats.
Official tickets are sold at set face values, but hospitality adds premium services and resale prices respond to market conditions. When demand outstrips supply, especially during title races or European ties, resale prices typically rise.
So, What Is The Best Place To Buy Arsenal Tickets?
The best place to buy Arsenal tickets depends on what matters most to you.
If you prioritise price and are prepared to work within ballot windows, membership is the natural starting point. If you already hold membership and can monitor listings closely, the Ticket Exchange can reward your persistence.
If certainty outweighs cost, hospitality offers guaranteed entry. If the match is sold out and flexibility matters, established secondary marketplaces provide access at market rates.
For supporters who want to see what is realistically available across resale and hospitality sellers without searching each site individually, Ticket-Compare.com brings those options together in one comparison view.
Understanding how Arsenal’s ballot-driven system operates is the key. Once you recognise that general sale is practically nonexistent, the decision becomes clearer: choose the route that matches your budget, flexibility and the importance of the match you want to attend.
