Manchester City’s new ticket scheme to help local supporters, through the eyes of football fans | OneFootball

The smell of rain, cheap beer, and hot pies floods through the concourse at the Etihad Stadium after a 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Galatasaray, just as it did nearly 60 years ago. 

Oasis are playing, probably the record-breaking guitar solo on Live Forever or perhaps something heavier like Cigarettes and Alcohol, and fans are walking out of the stadium pleased after a brilliant first 30 minutes saw Erling Haaland break his five-game goal drought and Rayan Cherki add a second.

All senses convey the synchronicity of City’s second-ever English title win in 1968, when Neil Young scored a brace alongside goals from Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee to earn a close-knit win over Newcastle United, and snatch the title from rivals Manchester United. 

Back then, a backdrop of dense, soot-stained slums swallowed the beauty of Manchester, but it was still alive in spirit, and life in the 60s was about the internal rather than the external.

The Beatles, only 35 miles down the M62, released one of the most popular songs in history: “Hey Jude”, changing music forever; there would often be “mums” of the street, where everyone cared for one another, and children would be all over the place, swinging from lampposts or kicking footballs in alleyways. 

Many values from nearly six decades ago remain today. The Beatles are perhaps the greatest band ever; there is plenty of care, with the admission that there could certainly be more, and kids still love football. The problem nowadays is that the sport that we all know and adore has become less and less accessible.

When England face Argentina on Wednesday evening, there will likely be a couple of empty seats that working-class supporters would give absolutely anything to be sat in. However, with general admission tickets ranging from £1,395 to £3,138, and VIP entries costing north of £6,000, the proletariat is left out. 

For such a big game where history is guaranteed to be made in one way or another, of course it’s going to cost the consumer a lot of money – suites at the game will set buyers back anywhere from £94,505 to £182,962 – but clubs must stop the rise in pricing before it gets even worse. 

What is the new ticket scheme?

Manchester City have announced that they will be releasing 100-500 tickets to local supporters for every Premier League home game in the 2026-27 season. 

The club will aim to protect the local core of City’s supporters after announcing the £300 million expansion of the North Stand, renamed The Pep Guardiola Stand in honour of the legendary former manager, along with numerous projects, including a 400-bed hotel, a 3,000-capacity fan zone, a new club shop, a museum, and a 600-capacity immersive entertainment venue hosting Mamma Mia! The Party.

The initiative means that residents of Clayton & Openshaw, Ancoats & Beswick, Gorton & Abbey Hey, Ardwick, and Miles Platting & Newton Heath will be eligible to enter a weekly ballot for tickets to the biggest City games, including home fixtures against Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. 

Tickets will cost £10 for adults, £7.50 for concessions, and £5 for children below the age of five; it is possible to apply for allocations together if supporters wish to sit with one another at a specific game. 

The opinions of Manchester City fans and football supporters

Football fans across the globe have enjoyed this idea, and multiple City fans have cast their thoughts too. Mark Temnycky, a fan of the club for over 14 years and a City Membership subscriber since 2019, said: “Manchester City’s new ticket scheme is a welcome move. 

“Football has become increasingly expensive for supporters in recent years, and pricing out local fans risks eroding the matchday atmosphere that makes the Premier League special. Offering tickets for £10 or less to local supporters helps address that problem directly.

“This also builds on City’s long history of community involvement. Projects like City Football Academy and the wider City Campus have shown the club’s commitment to investing in the areas around the Etihad, and this ticket scheme extends that same spirit to supporters themselves. 

“Success on the pitch means little if the people in the stands no longer reflect the community the club calls home. Other clubs should take note. If the Premier League wants to preserve genuine fan culture rather than cater purely to tourists and corporate boxes, this is the kind of scheme more clubs need to consider.”

The new proposal comes at a time when City are entering a new era under Enzo Maresca following the departure of Guardiola, who won 20 titles with the club across a hugely successful and redefining decade in English football. 

Before Guardiola’s final season in charge, City fans took legal action against the club over what they claimed was a “discriminatory season-ticket policy” in June 2025, where supporters had to attend at least 10 league matches to retain their season ticket for the following campaign. 

This policy was met with anger, and since then, protests have been held at the outpricing of football fans across the world and particularly at City. Despite the off-pitch issues, City announced in April that they froze ticket prices once more, for the third season in a row. 

Although many other protests have come as a result of those freezes, the new scheme has helped revive the club’s reputation and increased the accessibility to games that millions of football fans enjoy every year.

“I’m completely on board with this idea,” added Daniel Smith, a sports content creator. “Especially when you zoom out and assess the current direction of football. 

“We’re seeing governments intervene on issues such as red cards, hydration breaks and half-time interviews, so any initiative that gives back to and supports local fans should always be applauded.

“For a club like Manchester City, they simply don’t have to do this. They generate enough income and have sufficient financial backing to continue pricing tickets at the standard rate, which makes this move even more commendable.

“To anyone who feels it’s unfair on loyal fans who travel further, I think stepping back and looking at the wider direction of travel in the game should make you realise this is a positive move. Well done, Manchester City.”

The move was met with applause on X, too. Gary Phillips, a City fan, said: “At last, City being creative with their ticket policies – this is not only good news for the club but fantastic news for those who can’t always afford to go to games on a regular basis.”

Another supporter, Leo, described the initiative as “a beautiful gesture done by the club”.

City will get their Premier League campaign underway against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on August 23, before travelling away to Crystal Palace and then returning home to face the newly-promoted Coventry City.