FA Cup tickets: prices, information and news

The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short, is the biggest and most important cup competition in English football, ahead of the Carabao Cup. In a way, it is the counterpart to the English Premier League and can be compared to the German DFB Cup. The record winner is Arsenal FC with 14 victories and 7 further final appearances. They are followed by Manchester United with 12 wins and 9 final appearances. The list goes on with all the top teams in English football.

Accordingly, top-class duels can be expected in the final rounds and especially in the final at Wembley, and every game is an event with a first-class atmosphere. However, just like in the Premier League, buying FA Cup tickets can be difficult. Especially in the later rounds, the games are almost always sold out, as statistics from recent years show. But there are various ways to buy tickets.

Current tickets for the FA Cup

These are the upcoming matches in the FA Cup:

How do I get FA Cup tickets?

The direct way to get tickets for the cup matches is, of course, via the participating clubs. Depending on the size and league affiliation of the team, this can vary in difficulty. For teams in the first and second divisions in England, club membership is almost always necessary to get any football tickets at all – and even for members there are often lottery procedures or waiting lists. Tickets only go on sale if there is actually little demand, which is rarely the case.

It is generally easier with lower league clubs and in the earlier rounds of the FA Cup. First and second division clubs only take part in the cup competition from the third main round onwards, i.e. traditionally from the first weekend in January each year.

If you really want to see Liverpool FC, Manchester City or another of the big clubs in the FA Cup, you may have the best chance on the secondary market. StubHub, Viagogo and similar ticket exchanges always have numerous offers for tickets in the run-up to the matches. More information below.

How much do tickets for FA Cup matches cost?

It is not possible to put an exact figure on the price of FA Cup tickets. Depending on the team and round of the competition, tickets can cost just a few euros or can be in the high double-digit range. From the third main round onwards, ticket prices of around 40 euros upwards are common.

It should of course be noted that each stadium offers different capacities and is also divided into categories. In smaller stadiums in particular, tickets sell out quickly and there are usually not too many tickets available for the cheaper sections of the stadium.

Where can I get the cheapest FA Cup tickets?

Unlike in Germany, there is no standing room in higher-class English football. Therefore, particularly cheap tickets for under 20 euros are an absolute rarity at the top English clubs. So if you generally want to buy the cheapest possible tickets for an FA Cup match, you have to hope for a suitable draw.

As in the German DFB Cup, the FA Cup matches are drawn up to the final. However, it is the draw that determines the home team and not the league affiliation. It is therefore theoretically possible that a fifth division team could end up with a home game against Chelsea FC, Manchester United or a similarly renowned team. This offers the opportunity for a comparatively cheap ticket – the rush for tickets is then of course enormous.

When does the FA Cup start and when are cup tickets available?

The very first matches in the FA Cup take place in August. It starts with an extra preparatory round in which non-professional teams take part. This is followed by the preparatory round, four qualifying rounds, six main rounds and then the semi-finals and final. All in all, several hundred teams take part in the cup competition every year, with the exact number fluctuating from year to year and no upper limit. Over the course of the aforementioned rounds, the field of participants is thinned out to 124 by the first main round.

When tickets become available depends on the respective round and the clubs themselves. As a rule, tickets are sold in the same way as in the league. For the professional teams, this means that club members and season ticket holders can buy their tickets from 2-3 weeks before a cup date. Any free sales of remaining tickets usually only take place a few days before the match.

Incidentally, there is not necessarily a first and second leg in the FA Cup. Only if there is no winner in the first match is there a second leg on the pitch of the team that previously played away. In the second leg, extra time and a penalty shoot-out will decide who wins and who loses.

FA Cup tickets on the secondary market

The fixture lists in English football can sometimes be a complicated affair. This is especially true for the top teams, which are still represented in several competitions late in the season. When match dates are postponed at short notice, ticket holders often put their tickets up for sale because the new date is inconvenient for them. This applies to both league matches and the various cups.

This is precisely why there are numerous offers for football tickets on the many platforms of the secondary market. StubHub, Viagogo and the like have the advantage that interested parties can compare the adverts directly and find the best possible tickets. However, there are a few aspects to consider when trading on the secondary market:

• The transactions take place between private sellers and buyers, while official ticket exchanges act as intermediaries and organise details such as payment.
• Ticket prices are usually higher than in official sales and are based on general demand.
• The seller is generally responsible for refunds and other contingencies.
• Payment methods such as PayPal offer greater buyer protection, while bank transfers are not recommended.
• In the case of personalised tickets, the transfer of personal data or the transfer of tickets should be clarified in advance.
• The match dates stated on the tickets may differ from the actual date of a match due to last-minute changes in the fixture list.

Finally, it is important to mention that Ebay, classified adverts and social media are also part of the secondary market and that tickets are regularly advertised there. However, these platforms offer even greater risks, as transactions take place without intermediaries and directly between buyer and seller. This circumstance is sometimes exploited for fraud, which is also the reason why the secondary market in general often falls into disrepute.

When does the FA Cup final take place?

The FA Cup final is one of the highlights of the season and logically takes place towards the end of the season. Experience shows that the final usually takes place between mid-May and early June. Fans can buy their first tickets for Wembley five to six weeks before the final. This is a smaller contingent, which is sold by the FA itself. Interested parties must register on the Wembley Stadium ticket portal and then hope for luck in the virtual queue or in the draw.

The majority of the ticket capacity will ultimately be divided equally between the two finalists. However, these approximately 30,000 tickets will go directly to club members and season ticket holders. There will therefore be no free day tickets for the FA Cup final, so the secondary market is probably the best chance. As far as prices are concerned, three-digit sums can also be expected there. The FA’s official pricing for 2023 final tickets provides some guidance:

• Category 1: around 170 euros (145 pounds)
• Category 2: around 134 euros
• Category 3: around 82 euros
• Category 4: around 53 euros

Frequently asked questions about the FA Cup