Is the sale of private football tickets permitted?

Author: Soccer-ticket.com | Published on 8. September 2024

For various reasons, you may not be able to attend a football match for which you have purchased a ticket. In this case, it would be annoying to let the ticket simply expire. On the one hand, this means that you lose money and, on the other hand, you could make another fan happy by selling the football ticket privately.

After all, tickets for some football stadiums are so coveted that there is hardly any chance of getting tickets for the games outside the big fan clubs. The private sale of tickets offers fans outside this bubble the option of getting their hands on coveted football tickets for top clubs such as BVB, FC Bayern or RB Leipzig. However, there are a few things to bear in mind when selling private football tickets, as a small mistake could quickly make you liable to prosecution.

We would like to show you some rules for selling tickets, but would like to point out at this point that we do not offer legal advice and that regulations can change. Therefore, before selling your tickets, check several sources to be on the safe side legally.

What you can expect in the article

Can you sell a football ticket just like that?
Selling football tickets: What is allowed?
Selling football tickets: What is prohibited?
Attention: Selling football tickets on the black market is prohibited
Can you sell personalised football tickets?
Where can you sell football tickets privately?
Conclusion: Selling football tickets privately is possible, but there are many rules to follow

Can you sell a football ticket just like that?

In this case, it is important to observe the general terms and conditions of the seller, which in this case is usually the football club from which the tickets were originally purchased. If the club agrees to fans selling their tickets privately, the foundation stone for your project has been laid, but there are of course many other rules that you need to observe.

Selling football tickets: What is allowed?

We would love to give you a detailed list of the points that are allowed when selling private football tickets in Germany, but the fact is that this list can be summarised quickly because the rules are really strict. Nevertheless, ticket sales are permitted under certain circumstances, so you don’t have to let your ticket for a football stadium expire, but can still turn it into cash. Please note the following points:

Unless the general terms and conditions of a club say otherwise, you can resell tickets for a football match
You may sell the tickets for the purchase price
It is even possible to charge up to 15 per cent above the purchase price
Of course, you are allowed to sell the football ticket for less than the purchase price

Selling football tickets: What is prohibited?

In fact, the list of prohibitions relating to the private sale of football tickets is much more extensive than those things that are permitted. Therefore, after a brief overview, we would like to go into some points in more detail in order to offer you an informative article on the subject of ticket sales. But first, let’s look at the basic aspects that are not permitted in connection with the private sale of football tickets in Germany:

You may not sell the tickets for more than 15 per cent of the purchase price
Offering tickets on the black market is prohibited and will be prosecuted
It is a criminal offence for you to sell tickets to banned people
Personalised football tickets can only be sold with the express permission of the club

Attention: Selling football tickets on the black market is prohibited

The black market for Bundesliga tickets has been flourishing for years and this phenomenon is a problem for all professional clubs, but also for the fan scene. If you are in possession of a ticket and cannot attend the match for a specific reason, do not even consider selling it on the black market. Actively selling tickets makes you liable to prosecution and this can have serious consequences for you, as selling tickets in this way will be prosecuted.

Good to know

You are not allowed to sell tickets to people who are banned from a football stadium

Some individuals do not have access to a particular stadium because they have been banned for various reasons. This may be due to a streaking offence, but these individuals may also be part of the hooligan scene. People who have been banned from the stadium are logically no longer allowed to enter the arena and have no chance of obtaining tickets via the official sales outlets. They therefore often try to obtain football tickets through private sellers. If you knowingly sell a ticket to a banned person, you are also liable to prosecution in this case, which is why you should abandon this idea very quickly.

Can you sell personalised football tickets?

Personalised football tickets are a special case, as transferring them to another person can be a hurdle. Before actually selling the ticket for a football match, you should therefore find out from the club whether it is possible to transfer the ticket to another person. The whole process takes time and sometimes involves fees, so you should think carefully about whether it is worth it for you to sell a personalised football ticket.

Where can you sell football tickets privately?

Secondary market sellers are a good place to go if you own a football ticket but can’t make it to the stadium on the day of the game. Some of the most popular and reputable secondary market providers are the following portals:

Ticketgum
Ticketbande
Viagogo
StubHub and StubHub International
FootballTicketNet

This is just a small selection of secondary market providers and if you want to sell a ticket for a football match, it makes sense to offer this ticket on several exchanges at the same time to increase the chances of a successful sale. Please note that some of these portals offer different conditions – it is therefore essential to make comparisons before selling tickets.

Conclusion: Selling football tickets privately is possible, but there are many rules to follow

Are you in possession of a football ticket and want to sell it privately? If so, there are various ways to do this legally in Germany, as the sale of football tickets is possible under certain circumstances. However, there are also many legal hurdles that you need to be aware of. You should avoid making yourself liable to prosecution when selling your tickets. In itself, however, private sales are a great opportunity to give another football fan the option of attending the stadium in your place so that the ticket does not expire and the seat in the stadium is filled.

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