Knowing how to buy Champions League tickets is a valuable skill to have as a football fan with the competition being one of the most prestigious in world football.
In fact, while there are plenty of ways to buy football tickets to a regular fixture, things start to get a little more complicated if you start looking to secure seats to a game between two top-tier European football clubs.
With the standard of football so high, buying tickets can be tough, especially during the knock-out rounds. Therefore, we've put together a guide on everything you need to know to secure seats to any Champions League fixture.
Whether you're supporting your team, or you're looking to attend as a neutral to simply enjoy the spectacle, we've got you covered right here. So, without further delay, let's get into it...
How to buy Champions League tickets
There are several ways to secure tickets to Champions League fixtures; however, it's worth keeping in mind that, the further into the competition you plan to go, the harder it usually is to buy a seat. That being said, here are our top tips for all matchups.
Through UEFA
Arguably the simplest way to buy Champions League tickets is through UEFA, the governing body behind the competition, as everything you need is under one section.
On UEFA's ticket webpage, you can register your interest in the latest news, ticketing, and prices as well as buy seats to the Champions League final. You and also find details surrounding official hospitality packages if you're looking to upgrade your Champions League experience.
However, to register your interest, you'll need to make a UEFA account. Sign up using your details, and you'll be able to view all the tickets on sale at the moment in time through UEFA's ticket portal, plus any information about your previous orders.
Keep in mind though that Champions League tickets, especially to the final, are incredibly hard to get hold of as it's almost any football fan's dream to witness two top clubs going head to head to see who will be crowned the champions of Europe.
This is made even more difficult as UEFA's ticket allocation limits the number of seats available to buy through its website. Moreover, the number of tickets allocated varies depending on the size of the stadium.
For instance, 52,000 of the 75,000 seats in the Stade de France for the 2022 Final were made available to purchase. Of the 52,000, 40,000 were split between the two competing clubs, Real Madrid and Liverpool, while the remaining 12,000 were offered to fans worldwide, thus making it a little tricky to secure your own seats.
Through the club
The alternative to going through UEFA is to buy from the clubs themselves. This is perhaps the best way to go if there's a particular team or fixture you're looking to attend.
However, how easy it is to buy through a football club will depend on the team's reputation as well as the stage in the tournament the match in question is set to take place.
Football clubs also try to prioritise seating for their most loyal supporters, which means it can be hard at times to buy tickets as a general fan. For example, tickets to Rangers Champions League games are made available to season ticket holders first, then VIPs and MyGers members, before finally becoming available to the general public a couple of weeks after the fact.
You'll likely find this sort of schedule to be roughly the same for all the top European clubs competing in the competition. For instance, record winners Real Madrid drop tickets to season ticket holders, club members, Madridistas, and then to the general public to make sure fans that want to attend have the option of purchasing a seat.
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Sports ticket sites
If you're struggling to secure tickets through UEFA or a particular football club, then your best bet may be to turn to some of the best sports ticket sites around like Ticketmaster and StubHub.
However, this approach is somewhat of a grey area when it comes to buying tickets because in England, for instance, ticket touting, the practice of reselling tickets through unauthorised channels, is actually illegal.
That said, above board, third-party resellers are legal, and football clubs have previously authorised official ticket partners to help their fans secure tickets to games. For instance, StubHub has partnered with the likes of Tottenham and Everton in the past, two high-profile clubs in England.
Moreover, Ticketmaster says it only sells official tickets straight from the promoters and venues, so offers a fan guarantee that the tickets you purchase through its website are verified.
Keep in mind though that buying through ticket websites doesn't ensure you'll be able to sit with fellow supporters of your club, so it may be more beneficial to use this method as a neutral.
If you're unsure which method to choose, make sure you check out UEFAs FAQs section for more information on Champions League tickets.