Man Utd go against supporter groups to increase season tickets by 5%

MANCHESTER (Reuters) – Manchester United plan to increase season ticket prices by 5% for the 2025/26 season, the club said on Monday, defying pleas from supporters’ groups that the price be frozen.

Tickets for under-16s will not rise in price while the club have also announced a new game classification system for non season-ticket holders which will enable different pricing structure for higher-profile matches.

United supporters had been staging recurring protests at Old Trafford in recent months following the November decision to end concessions for children and over-65s, with all remaining tickets for this season priced at 66 pound (over $85).

A fan advisory board (FAB), which met with the club, had urged a freeze on ticket prices.

At Old Trafford, season tickets have risen by five percent for two consecutive seasons, following an 11-year price freeze.

“We recognize how important their support is to the team and have worked hard to create a pricing model that is fair and reasonable,” United chief executive Omar Berrada said in a statement.

The club’S Co-owner Jim Ratcliffe claimed in a series of interviews last week that without a spate of cost-cutting measures and the ticket price big hike he has overseen, the English giants would have run out of money at the end of last year.

United has reported a total loss of 410 million pound in the past seven years following a series of mistakes both on and off the pitch, with the club generating massive deficits after sporting investments failed to pay off.

They are now 13th in the Premier League and will need to win the Europa League to lift a trophy this season.

“We fully considered the compelling cases that the FAB presented in support of a freeze. However, for the listed reasons, the club has felt and believes it is not appropriate to keep prices unchanged while costs have risen and while the club is still in a financially difficult period,” Berrada added.

“While being mindful of the need to have the club financially strong enough to be able to invest in trying to improve the team, we have limited the increase to the lowest level we can and safeguarded our youngest season-ticket holders from any increases.”

As part of a spate of ticketing changes, United also intends to convert some close-to-the-dugout general admission tickets into hospitality seats that can be sold for a premium price.

Liverpool, the Premier League leaders, announced last month they would freeze ticket prices for next season.

“For several months we have been making the case to the club that they now need to take the long view and freeze ticket prices for next season,” the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust said.

“Other clubs have done that already and at United it would have sent a very strong message — that everyone must pull in the same direction to pull the club out of what is a very, very difficult situation.”

“We would encourage fans to use the power of the numbers and financial clout to hold the club and owners to account for how its commercial relationships impact match-going fans and show the scale of opposition to this increase is relevant in the context of the way football is priced generally — both for regular fans, but also against admission at rugby, cricket and live music.”

United stepped up their search for the new home last week; 680 million to leave Old Trafford for reported 2 billion pound new 100,000-seater stadium.