Getting hold of football tickets can be tricky, particularly for Premier League matches, as demand is always high, and tickets usually sell out quickly. So how do you get our hands on one? In this article, we’ll discuss the best ways to purchase football tickets, and whether you can buy football tickets at the stadium.
Can you buy Premier League tickets at the gate?
It is possible to buy Premier League tickets at the gate, but only if the game is not sold out. Relying on purchasing a ticket at the gate is extremely risky, as they are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
With some of the bigger clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, it is unlikely you will even have the option of purchasing a ticket at the gate, as games are usually full, and they generally only sell tickets through membership schemes. However, you can find tickets to their games here at Ticket Compare.
Purchasing tickets at the ticket office
You can purchase tickets in person at the ticket office, but unless you’re local, it’s much more convenient to buy tickets online rather than making the trip unnecessarily. At Ticket Compare, we only work with safe and secure vendors who have been tried and tested, so you can trust that what you are purchasing is genuine.
Football ticket touts outside venues
Ticket touting is the practice of buying tickets and then selling them without authorisation at drastically inflated prices. Strictly speaking, touting is illegal in the UK under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, however it is often difficult to police. If you’re caught ticket touting, it can incur a football banning order.
Touting has become more sophisticated over the years, and no longer exclusively takes place at the stadium but online too. If you purchase tickets from an unauthorised source, you risk not being permitted entry to the match and losing the money you paid.
It’s therefore very important to do your research, and only purchase from reputable and trusted online retailers. At Ticket Compare, we compare only safe and secure primary and secondary marketplaces.
Touting can also be detrimental to sellers as well as buyers. As football teams have also vowed to ban ticket holders who have sold their seats, which can be extremely costly to anyone who has spent years on a waiting list to get their season ticket.
Do you have to be a member to buy football tickets?
Tickets for home matches are generally prioritised to members, particularly in the Premier League. As Premier League matches are always popular, it is sometimes necessary to be a member in order to be able to apply for tickets, particularly for the higher profile fixtures.
This is not always the case, however, and some Premier League teams offer their members’ priority, and then sell remaining tickets to the general public. Luckily, you can find tickets to Premier League games here at Ticket Compare, even if you aren’t a member.
For some of the more popular fixtures (for instance derby matches), clubs might also use systems such as Loyalty Points to offer tickets to fans who have attended matches on a regular basis.
How do you get football tickets in the UK?
As we’ve touched upon, there are several ways to safely purchase football tickets in the UK. This includes:
- Online through trusted third party vendors
- Online via the club’s website directly
- By phone, if you need help beyond what’s available online
- In person at the ticket office
If tickets to see your team are completely sold out, you can also look at sitting in the away end. Getting tickets for the away side can sometimes prove easier, particularly if the team is coming from further away, as it’s less likely fans will travel. You’ll just have to make not to celebrate if your team scores!
Final thoughts
Although it’s possible to buy tickets from the ticket office at the stadium, it can be risky, and it’s much more convenient to purchase your tickets online. You also don’t want to run the risk of purchasing unauthorised tickets from someone who is ticket touting at the stadium.
At Ticket Compare, we only work with secure and reliable partners, who have been tried and tested, so you can have peace of mind when purchasing your tickets with us. We offer tickets to all the biggest footballing events, including the Premier League, La Liga, FA Cup and Bundesliga.
Header image: Bluefiredragon09, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
