The news that Manchester United plans to raise ticket prices by 5 percent for the 2025-2026 season has caused a mixed reaction among fans. The club did not satisfy the request of fan associations regarding freezing prices, instead proposing a new pricing system for individual matches.
Tickets for fans under 16 will remain unchanged, but a new category of tickets will be introduced for those who are not seasonal members, allowing the establishment of different prices for key matches. In November of last year, the club set a single price for the remaining matches at £66 for all those who had completed 65 years, which caused protests among fans.
"We understand how important support from fans is for the team, and we are working hard to offer fair and reasonable prices," said the club's general director, Omar Bader. However, one of the owners, Jim Ratcliffe, noted in an interview last week about the club's financial problems, emphasizing that Manchester United was on the brink of bankruptcy at the end of last year, adding that a series of measures to reduce expenses and increase ticket prices would not be accepted.
Over the past seven years, the club has suffered cumulative losses of £410 million due to mistakes in the transfer market and management inefficiencies. Currently, the team occupies 13th place in the English Premier League and hopes for success in the Europa League to avoid finishing the season without a trophy.
"We thoroughly listened to the arguments put forward by fan associations regarding freezing prices. However, we came to the conclusion of the necessity to increase prices in connection with rising costs and financial problems," added Bader. "We maintain increases at the very minimum level, protecting younger holders of seasonal memberships from any rises, ensuring thus the financial stability of the club for investment in the team's development."
