If you’re trying to work out how to buy football tickets, you’ve come to the right place.
We've put together a guide to help you get your head around some of the rules surrounding the sport to make sure you're able to attend your favourite club's fixtures legitimately.
This is especially important as ticket laws are constantly changing and, if anything, becoming stricter.
That means buying tickets through some of the best sports ticket sites around isn't as straightforward as it perhaps once was.
However, we've got you covered right here with some of the best ways to buy football tickets right now. So, without further delay, let's dive in...
How To Buy Football Tickets
There are several methods of securing tickets to football games; however, the answer to the question really depends on the size of the club, what competition the tickets are for, and where in the world the football match is taking place.
Through The Club
When it comes to English football, the Premier League recommends buying tickets directly through official club websites (or at a ticket office) as this is often the safest and easiest way of securing a legitimate ticket.
However, each club will have an allocated number of tickets it's allowed to sell. As a result, securing a ticket through a club’s official website isn’t as simple as just signing up and being able to buy them.
For instance, Chelsea sells tickets for home Premier League matches 42 days in advance of a match.
The club then allocates one ticket per club member in the first week, two extra tickets per season ticket holders and members in the second, then tickets only go on general sale (if there are any left) in the third week, with a maximum of four tickets per person.
Things get even more complicated for European and domestic cup fixtures as you have to wait four weeks before the club puts tickets on general sale.
Therefore, we'd advise becoming a member of the football club you support, or the football body in the case of international fixtures, if you're looking to regularly get tickets to games before they sell out.
Sports Ticket Sites
While it is possible to buy tickets through trusted sports ticket resellers like Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats, the subject is a bit of a grey area when it comes to certain football leagues and competitions.
Take England again, for example, where it's actually illegal to resell football tickets at any price.
However, above-board, third-part resellers are legal, so football clubs sometimes have authorised ticket partners to help you secure tickets to games if they sell out.
For instance, StubHub has previously partnered with the likes of Tottenham and Everton, while Viagogo has had agreements with clubs like Fulham, Manchester City, and Newcastle United in the past.
If you're still unsure, we'd recommend checking out the Premier League's Safe Ticket Buying page for official guidance.
Ticket Exchange
It has become increasingly more common for clubs to allow you to return tickets via a ticket exchange, which then get sold on to different fans.
Manchester City, for example, has a Ticket Exchange system; however, this feature is only available to Season Ticket holders.
Therefore, we'd recommend becoming a member of your favourite club if you're looking to show your support beyond wearing one of their best football kits.
We feel it's also worth mentioning that Liverpool will soon be offering a Ticket Transfer option for Premier League home games, which enables you to transfer your seat to one of your Friends and Family members. Keep an eye out for its introduction over the coming months.
What About Football Tickets Outside England?
Most countries around the world have made it illegal to sell football tickets after purchasing them, even if they're sold at face value, as this is known as touting.
As result, your best bet when it comes to buying tickets outside of England is still to go directly to the club in question's website.
Again though, ticket sites like Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats also offer tickets to games from around the world including MLS fixtures, with Ticketmaster actually offering a fan-to-fan Ticket Exchange service as well.
So, in summary, there are plenty of ways to buy football tickets, many of which are the same no matter which country you're based in. However, we'd always advise trying to secure tickets directly through a football club first as it seems to be the most legitimate way of securing tickets to a football game.
Read More: Best Places To Buy Football Kits - Our Top Picks
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