Premier League faces scrutiny as Black Market ticketing exposed | OneFootball

An investigation by BBC Sport has uncovered the scale of a thriving black market for Premier League tickets, raising concerns over fan access, stadium safety, and the integrity of clubs’ ticketing systems.

Reporters from the BBC purchased tickets through unauthorised resale sites for four fixtures last weekend, including the sold-out Manchester derby at the Etihad. Despite warnings that such sales are illegal in the UK, the tickets, bought at up to four times face value, were valid and granted entry. Others, however, have reported paying inflated sums for tickets that ultimately proved worthless.

At the centre of the trade are companies registered overseas, including in Switzerland, exploiting club membership schemes and using specialist software to acquire tickets in bulk. Some fans described receiving tickets via UK phone numbers on WhatsApp, often with explicit instructions not to approach stewards, an indication of the shadowy networks involved.

The Premier League publishes an “unauthorised list” of over 50 websites, including high-profile platforms such as StubHub and Vivid Seats, but enforcement remains patchy. Nearly 33,000 tickets were listed across four sites examined by the BBC, with Arsenal’s home clash against Nottingham Forest alone showing 18,000 seats, almost a third of the Emirates’ capacity. Ticketing expert Reg Walker suggested many of these were “speculative listings,” with as few as 10-25% representing genuine stock.

Extortionate pricing

Prices routinely soar well above market value, from £55 to an extraordinary £14,962, with even exclusive hospitality areas such as Arsenal’s Diamond Club and Manchester City’s Tunnel Club advertised. Walker recalled a Japanese family charged £2,200 for tickets worth £87 each.

The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) labelled the findings “very concerning.” Chair Tom Greatrex warned that “long-term supporters are finding it impossible to get tickets because of the way they are made available through secondary agencies.”

Clubs beginning to take action

While the Premier League declined to comment directly, insisting clubs bear primary responsibility for ticketing, individual sides have stepped up enforcement. Arsenal claim to have cancelled almost 74,000 accounts linked to unauthorised activity, while Everton reported joint operations with Merseyside Police. Yet, with demand at historic highs, the lure of resale profits appears undiminished.

GFN | Finn Entwistle