Ticket shake-up at Man Utd sees top prices surge past £90 | OneFootball

Man Utd Fans Fume at Matchday Ticket Rises Amid New Price Model Rollout

Ticket restructure adds to discontent at Old Trafford

Manchester United supporters are no strangers to turbulence. From boardroom battles to bleak on-field performances, the past decade has seen more fractures than progress. But for many, the announcement of a new ticket pricing model has cut particularly deep. A club famed for its working-class roots is now offering matchday tickets that could cost up to £97, prompting fans to label the decision as “a fresh kick in the teeth.”

This follows a campaign that was statistically the club’s worst since 1973-74, ending 15th in the Premier League. And yet, rather than take stock and reconnect with its core support, United have instead chosen to push forward with a four-tier categorisation of matchday tickets — a system where the top-end price is now £31 higher than last season’s maximum of £66.

Categories introduced but consultation questioned

Under the new model, around 20,000 tickets per home fixture will be split into four pricing categories. Category A, for marquee clashes against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, will stretch to £97 for the highest-priced seats. At the other end of the scale, just two Premier League games — against Sunderland and Wolves — are designated as Category C, where the cheapest ticket will cost £37.

The club argues that only “less than 1%” of tickets will reach the £97 ceiling. That explanation has done little to pacify fans, especially those who remember last season’s policy switch to a flat £66 rate mid-season, which removed previous pricing flexibility for unsold seats.

United sources claim prices were revised down from their original proposal after feedback. But the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) strongly refute the notion of meaningful dialogue.

“This really is a fresh kick in the teeth for Manchester United fans,” MUST said. “Once again, they have failed to consult any of the fans’ representative bodies on the details of the decision and once again they’re making choices against the interests of fans and, we believe, the club as a whole.”

Fan atmosphere at risk amid financial balancing act

The new model, according to the club, aligns United with the rest of the Premier League, where categorised pricing is widespread. It is, they argue, a necessary step to balance finances in a changing football economy. But the reaction from the stands paints a different picture.

“What Manchester United needs next season is a united fanbase and club,” said MUST, “with the team on the pitch supported by loyal and vocal fans roaring it back after the disaster that was last year. This match categorisation model will do enormous harm and undermine the atmosphere in the ground in a season when the team will need it more than ever.”

In truth, this feels like a tipping point. Amid managerial uncertainty and declining performances, United’s supporters are now being asked to pay Premier League-leading prices for an experience that, in recent seasons, has been anything but elite.

Contradictions in strategy leave fans cold

The contradiction in Manchester United’s approach lies in the disconnect between message and method. After the final game of last season, head coach Ruben Amorim called for unity. “Stick together,” he said, emphasising the need for collective belief. That sentiment was echoed, albeit clumsily, by chief executive Omar Berrada, who admitted to United We Stand that the previous flat-price model’s rollout was “not good”.

And yet, despite acknowledging previous missteps, the club has pressed ahead with a structure that many believe entrenches inequality rather than fosters togetherness.

Yes, Fulham’s top-end tickets hit £160 last season. Yes, other Premier League clubs operate similar systems. But for Manchester United fans, the grievance is not just about the price. It is about the principle.