Manchester City has officially confirmed the allocation of 30,786 tickets for the upcoming FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. The match is set to kick off at 4:30 pm on Saturday, May 17. However, fans are bracing themselves for a steep rise in ticket prices.
The allocation remains consistent with what the club received during the past two FA Cup finals. However, it's a noticeable drop from the 36,000 seats offered in the semi-finals. This reduction comes alongside an increase in ticket prices since their semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.
Significant jump in ticket prices
During the semi-finals, general tickets ranged between £30-£90 for City fans. Now those prices have skyrocketed to between £50 and £175 - marking a significant jump that will undoubtedly impact supporters' pockets.
The price increases for this year's FA Cup final tickets are quite significant compared to last year, with variations between 7-20 per cent depending on the ticket category. The most affordable seats have seen a dramatic increase of 66 per cent, rising from £30 during the semi-finals to £50. Similarly, the next tier of seats has also experienced a 66 per cent hike, now costing £75.
Even more striking is the cost of lower-tier seats which now start at an astonishing £125 - marking a hefty 78 per cent increase from their semi-final price. Lastly, Category One lower-tier tickets have almost doubled in price since the Nottingham Forest semi-final match; they've leapt up by an incredible 95% to reach an astounding £175. These are indeed hefty increases that will be felt by all supporters planning to attend this much-anticipated match.
First rise in six years
Interestingly enough, these are actually first rises for cup final tickets in six years. Manchester City has confirmed that their FA Cup final ticket allocation will be distributed among various groups. These include Season Ticket Members, Seasonal Hospitality Members, the Owner and Board of Directors, Football Management and Players, Club Officials and Staff. Additionally, Former Players, Club Partners, and members of the Man City Supporters Club will also receive tickets for this highly anticipated match.
An FA Spokesperson said:
“The Emirates FA Cup is our biggest revenue producer, and it allows us to invest more funding into every level of English football. We regularly review our ticket prices for Emirates FA Cup matches at Wembley Stadium to ensure they are in line with other major sporting events, and we have not increased the prices of tickets for the final over the last six years despite the rise of inflation during this period.
"This season, we have introduced limited price increases for tickets to the final, with the majority of these in the higher-priced categories and minimal increases in the lower-priced categories. We will be freezing the prices of almost all tickets to the Emirates FA Cup Final for the next three years.”
This announcement provides clarity to fans on who will be able to secure tickets for the final. However, it's clear that the steep price rise is a significant talking point among supporters. As we approach the FA Cup Final, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact attendance and overall fan experience at one of football's most prestigious events.
