As of 2024/25 there were more than 12,000 fans on the waiting list for a Nottingham Forest Season Ticket. This was the figure released by the club during their season ticket renewal period in spring 2024.
Despite an eye-watering 24 per cent average price increase, the renewal rate for 2024/25 NFFC Season Cards was a spectacular 97 per cent. Never underestimate Forest fans’ loyalty to their club.
It means that you need to be prepared to wait for the chance to watch regular Premier League football at the City Ground.
No Membership Required
In this article we’ll do a deep dive on the Nottingham Forest Season Card waiting list, and will cover related topics like pricing, benefits and alternatives. So read on, Forest fans for the season card lowdown.
Nottingham Forest Season Card Waiting List Explained for 2024/25
Aside from publishing the length of the list in 2024, the club is coy about the exact details surrounding season cards at the City Ground.
According to available estimates, the number of Nottingham Forest Season Ticket holders is around 20,000 for the 2024/25 season. This is about 66 per cent of the capacity of the City Ground (30,445).
By Premier League standards, that proportion is relatively high, especially compared to clubs like Liverpool (44%) or Fulham (50%).
At renewal time in May each year, a certain number of existing cardholders will drop out (only 3% in 2024). It’s also fair to expect a ratio of people on the waiting list to turn down the chance to buy a NFFC Season Card.
Considering the high renewal rate and waiting list length, prospective buyers should anticipate a wait of approximately three years before securing a Nottingham Forest Season Card.
How Do I Join the Nottingham Forest Season Ticket Waiting List?
There’s a dedicated page on the club website—online is the only method of joining the waiting list.
You pay a one-off, non-refundable administrative charge of £10 to book your place in the queue. After that, the waiting game begins.
When you eventually get to the top of the list, you will be offered a spot according to availability and not preference.
So you may have to accept whatever seat you are offered with a view to relocating in future seasons.
Finally, if you’re one of the lucky few able to purchase the exclusive Nottingham Forest membership package, My Forest Pro, you are given an automatic place on the waiting list.
How Much is a Nottingham Forest Season Ticket in 2024/25?
An adult Nottingham Forest Season Card costs between £550 and £850, depending on the seat location at the City Ground. Most NFFC fans pay £570 (Zone 2) or £700 (Zone 3) for their ticket.
Eyebrows were raised in April 2024 when the price of Nottingham Forest Season Cards were announced for the upcoming campaign. The increases worked out at an average of 24 per cent across the stadium.
This price hike can be attributed to the club's growing stature in the Premier League and increased demand for tickets.
As we’ll show below, the club also revamped the pricing strategy at the City Ground with new price zones. This was a stealthy way of raising prices across the board.
Nottingham Forest Season Card 2024/25 Pricing Zones Explained
Before 2024/25 the club streamlined the pricing system for the location of Nottingham Forest Season Tickets. Now it breaks down as follows:
- Zone 1: Halfway line in the Main Stand and the centre of the Brian Clough Stand upper tier
- Zone 2: Halfway line in the Brian Clough Stand lower tier, and all sections of the Main Stand apart from the halfway line
- Zone 3: Behind the goals in the Trent End and Bridgford Stand, and level with the penalty areas in the Brian Clough Stand lower
- Zone 4: Corners of the stadium in the Trent End and Bridgford Stand
How Has the Price of a Nottingham Forest Season Card Changed?
Given the sudden rise of the club from EFL Championship mainstay to Premier League regular, the price of a Nottingham Forest Season Ticket has climbed a lot.
Season | Cheapest NFFC Season Card | Most Expensive NFFC Season Card |
2024/25 | £550 | £850 |
2023/24 | £465 | £660 |
2022/23 | £385 | £550 |
2021/22 | £365 | £480 |
2020/21 | £365 | £480 |
Even given the dramatic rises since promotion, an NFFC Season Card is reasonably priced compared to the cost of season tickets at Premier League clubs.
2024/25 Nottingham Forest Season Card Benefits
A Nottingham Forest Season Card for the 2024/25 campaign offers the following range of exclusive perks:
- Welcome Gift: Receive a special gift upon securing your card.
- Early Retail Access: Be the first to access new adidas NFFC kit launches.
- Matchday Mascot Opportunities: Exclusive for child cardholders.
- Priority Access: Get first dibs on tickets to club events.
- Monthly Competitions: Chance to win exciting prizes.
- Free Digital Program: Access for all home games (16+).
- Matchday Messages: Submit messages for the matchday program or stadium screen.
Additional 2024/25 Benefits:
- Buy-Back Scheme: Fans can get a refund for up to three games they cannot attend.
- Complimentary Games: Enjoy free access one home pre-season friendly and two women’s fixtures.
- Retail Discounts: Get 10% off merchandise from July 2024 (excluding replica kits).
- Extended Renewal Window: Extra five days to renew your Nottingham Forest Season Card.
- Away Ticket Ballots: Enter a ballot to secure one of 100 tickets for away Premier League football matches.
How Could the Nottingham Forest Season Card Waiting List Change?
The prospect of relegation may be unfathomable for Forest fans. However, one certainty is that it would free up a lot of season tickets for new customers.
It seems far-fetched now, but the club even offered half-season cards to fill up the City Ground during the Covid-disrupted promotion season in 2021/22.
However, the early signs in 2023/24 pointed to a strong campaign for The Garibaldi. This is also helped by a clean PSR situation, following a four-point deduction in 2023/24.
City Ground Expansion and Nottingham Forest Season Tickets
In September 2024, Forest Chairman Tom Cartledge confirmed that an upcoming redevelopment of the Peter Taylor Stand (Main Stand) would increase the stadium capacity to 42,000.
The project is in the preliminary stages, but is progressing after several years of delays: By summer 2024 the club had reached an agreement in principle to buy the freehold of the stadium and properties surrounding it.
Naturally, such an impressive increase in stadium capacity would also slash the waiting list for a Nottingham Forest Season Card.
As of 2024/25, the project is several years down the line, and it may be more fruitful to look for alternatives in the meantime.
Nottingham Forest Resale Tickets 2024/25
We’ve established that it’s getting tougher than ever to get Nottingham Forest tickets through the club. Fortunately, the secondary market is an excellent backup, especially if there’s a big Reds match you simply cannot miss.
Ticket Compare sources Premier League tickets through a carefully vetted selection of secondary market sellers and official hospitality agents. We offer availability for every Nottingham Forest match, even if it’s sold out.
Buy your NFFC Tickets with Ticket Compare to ensure you never miss out again!
Header Image: Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons