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How Does the Manchester City Ticket Exchange Work? A Definitive Guide
Written by Aviran Zazon
Here's a scenario: There's a big Manchester City match coming up at the Etihad and you still haven't been able to get your hands on a ticket.
Time may be running out as the days tick down to the game. But don't despair, because tickets returned through the Manchester City Ticket Exchange could offer another chance to get in.
So how does the Man City Ticket Exchange work? In this guide, we'll explain both sides, from the point of view of sellers returning their seats and buyers snapping up the last remaining tickets from the club.
We'll also look at guaranteed refunds, membership requirements and alternatives if you can't get tickets.
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What Is the Manchester City Ticket Exchange?
Manchester City Ticket Exchange is the club's official resale mechanism for eligible Season Ticket Members who can't get to a home Premier League match.
Man City Season Ticket Members can list their seats in advance, and they become available to buyers around three weeks before kick-off. Once released, these seats drop straight into the normal ticket inventory like any other match ticket.
There's no separate marketplace.
If your ticket sells, you get a pro-rata refund. For most season tickets, it's 1/19 of the annual price, while premium 93:20 Season Tickets receive 1/22.
The club also offers guaranteed refunds for five selected Premier League matches in 2026/27, provided the ticket is listed before the relevant deadline. For these matches, the season ticket holder receives their money even if the seat doesn't sell.
Relisting their seat with Ticket Exchange, MCFC Season Ticket Members also keep all of their Season Ticket Points, which are vital for qualifying for those highly coveted away tickets.
Manchester City Ticket Exchange timeline at a glance
- Around three weeks before kick-off: Returned seats become available for other supporters to purchase. Season Ticket Members can provisionally list seats earlier once the Exchange opens for a fixture.
- More than ten days before kick-off: The usual deadline for qualifying for a guaranteed refund at five selected Premier League matches, unless City communicates a different cut-off.
- 24 hours before kick-off: The latest deadline for Season Ticket Members to list a ticket for resale.
- Final hours before kick-off: Returned tickets remain available until the club's published closing time, which can vary by fixture.
Who Can Buy Man City Ticket Exchange Tickets?
Supporters with an active Manchester City Official Membership can buy tickets relisted through the Manchester City Ticket Exchange, provided they meet the purchasing criteria for the match.
In 2026/27, the annual membership options are:
- Matchday Membership: $51 for adults.
- Premium Membership: $86 for adults.
- Junior Membership: $27.
These prices exclude any applicable postage and packaging. You can find more details in our Manchester City membership guide.
Importantly, having a membership doesn't guarantee that you'll be able to buy a ticket for every match.
For 2026/27, City has introduced purchasing history requirements for some of its most popular Premier League fixtures.
| Opposition | Published ticket eligibility |
|---|---|
| Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Leeds United | Official Members who purchased at least three home Premier League matches across 2024/25 and 2025/26 |
| Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham, Aston Villa | Official Members, including new members |
| Other Premier League opponents | Official Members, with additional purchasing opportunities for Season Ticket Members |
These are City's published membership sales criteria. Eligibility can vary between ticket releases, so supporters should check the conditions for their chosen fixture rather than assuming that seats returned through Ticket Exchange are exempt.
For example, a new Matchday Member may be unable to purchase a returned seat for the Manchester Derby without the necessary purchasing history.
Manchester City also allows a limited number of matches to go on general sale during the season. This can give non-members access to tickets, although it shouldn't be relied upon as a route into the Ticket Exchange.
How to buy tickets through the Manchester City Ticket Exchange
The process for buying tickets relisted through Ticket Exchange is simple. You don't need to access a specific resale platform, as tickets appear on the stadium map for the match of your choice.
They're sold like they would be for a normal ticket release, except they may appear more sporadically as season ticket holders return their seats.
All you have to do is:
- Head to Manchester City's Men's Tickets page and log in to your account.
- Click Buy Now on the match you want to watch.
- Check the stadium map for any available seats.
- If there's nothing available, keep checking as the match approaches, particularly following the additional ticket release several weeks before kick-off.
As the deadline for season ticket holders to relist their tickets is 24 hours before a match, late availability is possible. The closing time for purchases is set by the club for each fixture.
How much do Manchester City Ticket Exchange tickets cost?
Tickets returned through the Exchange are sold at prices set by Manchester City, rather than by the original season ticket holder.
The club's published adult member prices for 2026/27 are:
| Ticket category | Adult price |
|---|---|
| Category A | $53–$80 |
| Category B | $47–$73 |
| Category C | $40–$66 |
| Category D | $27–$53 |
Category D offers the cheapest adult match tickets, starting at $27.
The price of an individual returned seat depends on the fixture, location and price set by the club. Ticket Exchange is primarily a way to access additional availability, rather than a guarantee of discounted tickets.
Who Can Sell Tickets with the Manchester City Ticket Exchange?
Manchester City Gold, Platinum and premium 93:20 Season Ticket Members can sell their seats using Ticket Exchange. The club's terms also accommodate eligible holders of Value and Superbia season tickets.
However, Flexi Season Ticket Members cannot use Ticket Exchange.
Flexi members purchase their allocated seats individually for each Premier League match. If they don't buy their ticket during the relevant purchase window, the seat returns to the club without a Ticket Exchange refund.
Other restrictions apply to season tickets with outstanding payments, suspended memberships or seats that have already been regraded or relocated for a particular match.
Guaranteed refunds for Ticket Exchange listings
For 2026/27, Manchester City offers guaranteed refunds for five selected Premier League fixtures, down from 12 in 2025/26.
If a Season Ticket Member lists a qualifying ticket more than ten days before kick-off, they receive their pro-rata refund even if nobody buys the seat. City can specify a different deadline for individual matches.
The club's fixture management calendar identifies the following guaranteed-refund matches:
| Opponent | Scheduled date |
|---|---|
| Chelsea | 12 December 2026 |
| Arsenal | 30 January 2027 |
| Manchester United | 20 March 2027 |
| Liverpool | 8 May 2027 |
City confirms five guaranteed-refund matches in total, so supporters should consult the club's season ticket management calendar for the complete fixture-specific arrangements.
All match dates and kick-off times are subject to change.
For other Premier League games, you'll only receive a refund if your ticket successfully sells. The same applies if you miss the guaranteed-refund listing deadline.
How to sell Man City tickets with Ticket Exchange
The club has streamlined the process for MCFC Season Ticket Members to sell their seats on Ticket Exchange.
On a desktop computer:
- Log in to your Manchester City account and click Tickets.
- Tick the match you can't attend and select Exchange.
- Click I want to list this seat for sale, followed by Continue.
- Select your payment details and confirm the listing.
On a mobile device:
Log in to your account, open Tickets, select the relevant match and choose Resale Request at the bottom of the screen.
And that's it: Your ticket is listed for resale.
You'll receive confirmation from the club, followed by another notification if someone purchases your seat.
Once a sale is completed, the transaction cannot be cancelled and your Season Ticket will be deactivated for that match.
If your ticket remains unsold when the Exchange closes, it stays valid for your own use, and City will send confirmation.
Manchester City Ticket Exchange and the 16-match policy
To keep Etihad Stadium full and make more tickets available for Matchday Members, Manchester City requires standard Season Ticket Members to utilise their seats for at least 16 of the 19 home Premier League matches.
On top of that, they're expected to attend a minimum of ten matches in person.
For those games you can't attend, relisting your seat with Ticket Exchange counts as ticket usage, even if it doesn't sell.
Ticket Transfer and Ticket Donate also count towards the 16-match requirement, but none of these alternatives satisfies the separate ten-match personal-attendance threshold.
Failing to meet the requirements can affect your ability to renew your season ticket. The club can restrict renewal, offer another type of season ticket or revoke a membership, depending on the circumstances.
Naturally, the sooner a seat is relisted on Ticket Exchange, the better chance it has of being snapped up by a Matchday Member.
How are Season Ticket Members refunded for Ticket Exchange sales?
The refund is based on the season ticket's annual cost, not the price another supporter pays to buy the returned seat.
For Gold, Platinum and Value Season Tickets, the refund is 1/19 of the season ticket price. For 93:20 Season Tickets, it's 1/22. Superbia holders receive 1/19 of the highest-priced Gold Season Ticket.
For example, if you have a $1,010 Gold Season Ticket, you'll receive $53 for a successfully exchanged Premier League match.
Even if Manchester City subsequently sells that seat for $80, you'll receive the same $53 refund.
The club pays refunds into a nominated UK bank account within 45 working days after the match.
Season Ticket Members without a nominated UK bank account receive a club voucher for the relevant amount instead. This is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
It's a useful distinction from some other Premier League clubs, such as Arsenal, where supporters receive their Ticket Exchange proceeds through a separate cashback process.
What Is the Difference Between Ticket Exchange and Ticket Transfer?
For Manchester City Season Ticket Members, there are two main routes if you can't get to a match and want to ensure your seat is used.
Ticket Transfer is a more personal method, allowing a Season Ticket Member to pass their seat for a specific match on to another fan. Unlike Ticket Exchange, there's no resale refund involved.
For 2026/27, Season Ticket Members can transfer tickets to any of up to 18 nominated Friends & Family contacts.
These can include other Season Ticket Members, paid Official Members and non-members. Contacts can be added throughout the season, rather than having to nominate everyone in advance.
So the key difference is that Ticket Exchange lists your seat for club resale and pays a pro-rata refund if it sells, while Ticket Transfer simply passes your ticket to someone you know.
Ticket Transfer generally becomes available around ten days before each match, including eligible cup fixtures.
How to transfer your Manchester City ticket
- Log in to your Manchester City account.
- Click on Tickets.
- Select the match.
- Choose your recipient from Friends & Family.
- Confirm the transfer.
Note that a price adjustment may be payable if you're transferring a concessionary ticket to someone in a different age category, such as an adult receiving a junior ticket.
There's also a third option called Ticket Donate. This allows Season Ticket Members to list their seat for resale and direct the proceeds of a successful sale to City's official charity, City in the Community.
What is Man City's return policy?
Matchday Members who purchase individual match tickets cannot relist them through Ticket Exchange. These tickets are also generally non-transferable.
Instead, eligible ticket buyers can request a refund up to seven days before kick-off using Manchester City's official ticket refund form.
Refunds are processed within 30 days. The lead purchaser must submit the request, which covers the entire order, including any associated Kids Fanzone and car parking tickets.
If a home match is rescheduled, ticket holders can request a refund up to seven days before the new kick-off date.
For Season Ticket Members, Ticket Exchange, Ticket Transfer and Ticket Donate provide separate ways to manage matches they cannot attend.
Manchester City Ticket Exchange | Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Manchester City Ticket Exchange open?
Season Ticket Members can list seats once Ticket Exchange opens for the relevant fixture. Returned tickets become available for supporters to purchase approximately three weeks before the match.
When does Manchester City Ticket Exchange close?
Season Ticket Members must list their tickets no later than 24 hours before kick-off. The club sets the final purchasing deadline for each fixture, so check the relevant match information for the closing time.
Can non-members buy tickets on Manchester City Ticket Exchange?
Generally, buyers need an active Official Membership, with a Matchday Membership costing $51 for adults in 2026/27. Additional purchasing history restrictions apply to some fixtures.
Non-members may be able to buy tickets when matches reach general sale, but this isn't guaranteed.
Can you transfer Man City tickets to non-members?
Yes. Season Ticket Members can transfer tickets to non-members included in their Friends & Family network, which can contain up to 18 contacts.
Does Manchester City Ticket Exchange cover cup matches?
Ordinarily, no. The men's Ticket Exchange covers home Premier League matches, although the club reserves the right to make other selected fixtures eligible.
Ticket Transfer may be available for Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup matches, depending on the relevant cup scheme and fixture.
Does Manchester City Women's Ticket Exchange work differently?
Manchester City Women's Season Ticket Members can use Ticket Exchange for home Women's Super League matches.
For 2026/27, the refund is 1/13 of the annual season ticket price, reflecting the 13 home league fixtures.
Women's Season Ticket Members must also utilise their tickets for at least seven league matches, including five personal attendances.
How Does the Manchester City Ticket Exchange Work? Final Thoughts
That covers just about everything to do with the MCFC Ticket Exchange from both the sellers' and buyers' points of view.
If you're struggling to buy tickets in the days before a Premier League match at the Etihad, it pays to be persistent and keep checking. Returned seats can become available several weeks before kick-off and right up to the club's final purchasing deadline.
For Season Ticket Members who can't attend, Ticket Exchange offers a way to recoup the pro-rata value of their seat, as well as helping to meet the club's 16-match utilisation requirement.
As an alternative, you could always use a comparison site like Ticket-Compare.com. We bring together Manchester City tickets for home and away matches from pre-vetted resale websites and authorised hospitality agents, allowing fans to compare available seats and prices before completing their purchase with the marketplace of your choice
At this very moment, we have 280,420 MCFC tickets on sale, starting as cheaply as $25.
One match in high demand is Manchester City vs Arsenal at $150, so don’t miss out on this must-see match!
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