QPR ticket decision dubbed a 'disgrace' ahead of Middlesbrough clash | OneFootball

Boro fans will have to part with a hefty amount of cash to support their team in West London

Queens Park Rangers have been slammed for the ticket pricing structure in operation for their home clash against Middlesbrough on Saturday, September 5th, especially from those wanting to make the lengthy trip from the North East.

Middlesbrough will be hoping the 2026/27 season is one to savour under Kim Hellberg, particularly after missing out on promotion on two counts last term.

The Swede, who was only installed in the Riverside Stadium hotseat nine months ago, was unable to get the Reds over the line in the automatic promotion race after a disappointing end to the regular season, before an unprecedented play-off campaign saw them dramatically defeated by Hull City on May 23rd in the Championship play-off final.

However, optimism on Teesside has only increased this summer due to a barrage of high-profile signings, most notably the additions of Radek Vitek, Ashley Phillips and Will Lankshear, with the latter two arriving from Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, whilst Boro have endured a mixed start to the league season as they followed up their opening day success over Lincoln City with a 2-1 loss at Blackburn Rovers, not many can doubt the loyalty and passion shown by those in this part of the world to follow their team, irrespective of how the season is panning out, as well as the costs involved.

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Last season, Middlesbrough's involvement in the promotion race saw this exact fixture moved to a 4:30PM kick-off on Sunday, March 8th for Sky Sports coverage, and whilst the decision was met with understandable criticism, it was made easier to stomach through a 4-0 away victory.

The most expensive away ticket for that particular match was £39, but this season, adult-paying Middlesbrough supporters will have to part with £42.50 of their hard-earned cash if they do not want to have a restricted view, on top of a potential £54 in coach travel costs from the Riverside.

It is a policy from the West London club which has again been criticised by Football League World's Middlesbrough fan pundit, Liam Day.

"I think the QPR ticket prices are a disgrace," he told FLW. "But, I think it's just part of a major problem, not just in the Championship, but English football.

"I think you've got to have a (set) ticket price on away tickets at the minimum. You've got to consider how much fans pay for travel, accomodation and food, and that all adds up.

"I spend a lot of money on tickets to away games, and a ticket shouldn't be any more than £20-25," Day claimed.

"That's where something needs to happen. I know clubs are struggling financially, but it shouldn't come out of the fan's pockets.

"It should come from somewhere else, and I don't think it's entirely fair from them to do that."

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Middlesbrough will not be the first or the last fanbase to have to pay such prices to travel to Loftus Road, which, as a stadium, has come under scrutiny in terms of facilities and overall experience for some time.

However, they are also not the only fanbase to have questioned ticket prices in the Championship at the start of this season.

Even though 4,435 of their own supporters made the short trip across Lancashire on the opening weekend, adult-paying Preston North End supporters were charged £36 ahead of their 2-1 loss to Bolton Wanderers.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City have also come under hot water for recent ticket prices, which included £35 for a general sale ticket ahead of their friendly with FC Barcelona on July 30th, and the same fate has occurred ahead of next weekend's grudge match with Wolves, where the cheapest price for a ticket in a non-family area is £37.50.

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Whilst there is an obvious disparity in terms of the finances on offer in the EFL and Premier League, the former have been encouraged to follow the top-flight's lead when it comes to aiding the prices of away tickets.

For a decade, Premier League clubs have been forced to cap said prices at £30, and as a result of away attendance figures increasing from 82% to 91%, this agreement has been further extended.

However, it does remain to be seen if such policies will be enforced in the years to come by the EFL, although the cost of other away match elements, such as train costs, could be impacted in a positive way by decisions made by Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.