How to Get Premier League Tickets as a Tourist Visiting the UK

Getting Premier League tickets as a tourist is harder than most visitors expect. But it's absolutely doable if you plan early. Unlike US sports, you can't just rock up to a box office and buy a seat. Most clubs sell out through layered membership and loyalty systems, and demand far outstrips supply at the top end. This guide covers every route available and helps you dodge the scams targeting overseas buyers.

Key Takeaways

• Most Premier League clubs require a paid membership before you can enter the ticket queue, with prices ranging from £25 to £60 depending on the club and tier.
• Newly promoted clubs and lower-table sides are significantly easier for tourists than the Big Six, where sell-out rates approach 100% for most fixtures.
• Hospitality packages are the most reliable route for tourists willing to spend more, typically £150 to £500+ per person.
• Buying from unofficial resale sites or social media is the single biggest risk for international visitors. Clubs like Arsenal run random photo-ID checks that can result in refused entry. For more detail, see our guide to avoiding ticket scams and understanding football ticket resale.
• Smart fans start planning 8 to 12 weeks before their trip, especially for Big Six matches.

How Does Premier League Ticketing Actually Work?

It's nothing like buying a concert ticket on Ticketmaster. Here's the basic structure most clubs follow.

The Premier League has 20 clubs each season. The vast majority of home tickets go first to season ticket holders, who lock in their seats before the season starts. Whatever remains filters through a priority system that typically looks like this:

1. Season ticket holders (locked in before anyone else)
2. Premium members (higher-tier paid memberships with early access)
3. Standard members (basic paid memberships)
4. General sale (open to anyone, if tickets survive the above stages)

The problem? At high-demand clubs, tickets rarely reach general sale. Arsenal, for example, uses a randomised ballot for home matches since 2023-24, so even paying members aren't guaranteed a ticket. Their Silver ballot opens roughly 6 to 8 weeks before a match, with the Red ballot following at 4 to 6 weeks. Only leftovers reach general sale, and for big fixtures there are none.

Other clubs use more traditional first-come-first-served systems, but the principle is the same: members buy first, tourists get what's left.

Can You Buy Tickets Without a Club Membership?

Yes, but your options narrow dramatically. Here's the honest breakdown.

At lower-demand clubs (think newly promoted sides, or mid-table teams hosting another mid-table side on a Tuesday night), tickets do reach general sale without needing any membership. These windows typically open 2 to 4 weeks before the match.

For clubs outside the Big Six, the process is simpler. Many sell tickets directly to the public weeks before the match, no membership required. Newly promoted clubs and lower-table sides often have availability right up to matchday.

The Tourist Ticket Decision Matrix

This is the framework no travel blog gives you. Five routes to Premier League tickets, compared across the three things that actually matter to visitors.

• Official general sale. Lead Time Needed: 2-4 weeks before match. Approximate Cost: £30-£100 face value. Difficulty for Tourists: Low at easy clubs, near-impossible at Big Six.
• Club membership purchase. Lead Time Needed: 8-12 weeks (buy membership, then enter sale/ballot). Approximate Cost: £25-£60 membership + £30-£100 ticket. Difficulty for Tourists: Moderate at mid-table clubs, hard at Big Six.
• Hospitality packages. Lead Time Needed: Available months in advance, often last-minute too. Approximate Cost: £150-£500+ per person. Difficulty for Tourists: Easy (if budget allows).
• Verified secondary market. Lead Time Needed: Varies, check regularly from 4+ weeks out. Approximate Cost: Above face value, varies. Difficulty for Tourists: Moderate (must verify legitimacy).
• Club ticket exchange. Lead Time Needed: Days before match (when members resell). Approximate Cost: Face value or near it. Difficulty for Tourists: Moderate but unpredictable.

The biggest variable is which club you want to see. A tourist hoping to watch Ipswich Town at Portman Road faces an entirely different challenge than someone trying to get into the Emirates or Anfield.

Which Clubs Are Easiest (and Hardest) for Tourists?

Hospitality packages bypass the membership queue entirely. Every Premier League club offers them, typically ranging from £150 to £500+ per person. They include a match ticket, food and drink, and sometimes a stadium tour. The advantage? Hospitality allocations are separate from the general ticket pool, so they remain on sale long after standard tickets sell out. For a tourist visiting during a specific week with no flexibility, this is often the only guaranteed option at a Big Six ground.

Very Hard

Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United Near-total sell-out rates. Membership required. Ballot systems or loyalty-point queues. General sale is either nonexistent or sells out in minutes for desirable fixtures. Arsenal's 60,704-capacity Emirates sounds huge, but season ticket holders and members absorb virtually everything.

Hard

Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle United Slightly more movement on the ticket exchange and occasional general sale windows, but still extremely tough for marquee fixtures. Midweek games against lower-profile opponents are your best shot.

Moderate

Aston Villa, West Ham, Brighton, Wolves, Everton, Crystal Palace Memberships still help, but general sale tickets appear more frequently, especially for non-derby fixtures. These clubs offer a great atmosphere and a realistic path for tourists.

Easier

Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Leicester, Nottingham Forest (and typically any newly promoted club) Smaller grounds can mean fewer tickets overall, but demand is lower relative to the Big Six. General sale windows are more common. Fulham's Craven Cottage, right on the Thames, is regularly cited as one of the best tourist-friendly grounds in the league.

This list is directional based on typical demand patterns and stadium capacity. Specific fixtures (local derbies, relegation battles, title deciders) will always be harder regardless of the club.

How Far in Advance Should You Plan?

Start 8 to 12 weeks before your trip for the best range of options. Here's a rough timeline.

• 3+ months out: Buy club memberships if targeting Big Six clubs. Monitor fixture announcements.
• 6-8 weeks out: Enter ballots where applicable (Arsenal Silver ballot opens in this window). Check general sale dates for other clubs.
• 4-6 weeks out: Arsenal Red ballot window. Other clubs' member sales and general sales often open here.
• 2-4 weeks out: General sale at mid-table and lower-table clubs. Start monitoring ticket exchanges.
• Check official ticket exchanges for last-minute returns. Consider hospitality if desperate.

Fixture scheduling also matters. Matches broadcast live on UK television get moved to different kick-off times, sometimes at short notice. Check the Premier League website for confirmed dates before booking flights.

Are Hospitality Packages Worth It for Tourists?

For many visitors, honestly, yes. Hospitality is the most reliable route if budget isn't the main concern.

• No membership or loyalty history required
• Available well in advance and sometimes even last-minute
• Often include perks that enhance a first-timer's experience
• Purchased directly from the club, so no scam risk

You're paying significantly more than face value, and the atmosphere in hospitality sections can feel more subdued than the general stands. If you want raw, authentic matchday energy, a regular ticket in the home end is the better experience.

How to Spot Ticket Scams Targeting Tourists

International buyers are the number one target for ticket scammers. Here's your red flag checklist.

The Tourist Scam Red Flag Checklist

• Anyone offering tickets via Twitter/X, Instagram, or Facebook DMs is high-risk. Scammers create fake accounts with stolen photos and fabricated "proof."
• Fake sites mimicking official club ticket pages. Always type the club's URL directly. Check for HTTPS and exact domain spelling.
• "Guaranteed" tickets before sale windows open: If someone's selling a ticket for a match whose official sale hasn't started, it's almost certainly a scam.
• Scammers push bank transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. Legitimate sellers accept credit cards with buyer protection.
• Very low prices are bait. Very high prices on unofficial sites often come with zero recourse if the ticket fails.
• Arsenal and other clubs run random photo-ID checks at turnstiles. A name mismatch means refused entry with no refund, making unauthorised third-party purchases especially risky.

the official club website, the club's own ticket exchange, official hospitality, or a verified secondary platform with buyer guarantees.

What Should You Expect on Match Day?

Your first Premier League match day is an experience that goes way beyond the 90 minutes. Here's what first-timers need to know.

• Arrive early. Get to the ground 60 to 90 minutes before kickoff. Soak up the atmosphere, grab a pie, watch warm-ups.
• Know your section. You'll be in the home end. Don't wear the away team's colours.
• Bag restrictions. Most grounds enforce strict bag-size limits (typically nothing larger than A4). Check your club's policy beforehand.
• Cash is mostly dead. Most stadiums are cashless or heavily card-oriented. Bring a contactless payment card.
• Transport. Driving to a Premier League ground is usually a bad idea. Use public transport and check the club's travel page. Trains and the Tube (in London) get packed, so allow extra time.
• The atmosphere. Standing in seated areas is common. Singing, chanting, and noise can be intense, especially behind the goals. Embrace it.

What If You Can't Get Tickets?

If every route comes up empty, you've still got solid options for enjoying matchday in England.

• Watching in a packed local pub is a genuinely brilliant experience. Get there at least an hour early to grab a seat.
• Most clubs offer non-matchday tours covering dressing rooms, tunnel, and pitchside. Great for photos and history.
• A few clubs run official matchday fan zones, even for ticketless supporters.
• England's football pyramid means there's almost certainly a match near wherever you're staying. Championship, League One, and League Two games are far easier to attend, and the atmosphere can be fantastic.

The Premier League season runs from August to May, with matches typically on Saturdays at 3pm, plus staggered kickoffs on Saturdays, Sundays, and occasional weekday evenings. Fixture schedules are confirmed in June for the following season but are subject to broadcast-related changes, so keep checking.

Sources: Arsenal. Last verified 13 June 2026.

Your best next step? Pick your target clubs based on the difficulty tiers above, buy any required memberships early, and set up alerts so you don't miss sale windows. The fans who get tickets are the ones who plan ahead.

Want a heads-up when tickets go on sale? You can get Football Ticket Pro's ticket alerts.