Arsenal announces season ticket price increase
Arsenal has confirmed a rise in season ticket prices by an average of 3.9 per cent for the 2026/27 campaign, marking the fifth consecutive year of increases at the Emirates Stadium and igniting displeasure among supporters, reports BritPanorama.
The club, currently at the top of the Premier League table, is also introducing a revised pricing structure that includes two new match categories. A fresh B+ tier will be applied to fixtures against clubs considered more significant than traditional Category B opponents, with teams like Aston Villa and Newcastle United reportedly under consideration for this classification.
Moreover, an A+ category has been introduced specifically for potential Champions League quarter-final and semi-final matches, contingent on the Gunners’ progression in the tournament. Prices for the new A+ category will range from £90 to £168 for general admission, which the Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) has labelled “by far the most expensive general admission price in English football.”
The AST expressed its dissatisfaction with the club’s decision, describing it as part of an ongoing “arms race” of price increases across the English football landscape. The group highlighted their frustration that proposals from the Football Supporters’ Association, advocating for a league-wide ticket price freeze, have been overlooked.
“Neither the Premier League nor Arsenal have seriously engaged with the idea that a freeze at all clubs would help stop the ‘arms race’,” the AST stated. They further argued that with broadcast and commercial revenues in the football sector growing significantly, clubs should alleviate financial pressures on match-going supporters.
In a notable comparison, the supporters’ group noted that ticket prices for World Cup group stage matches this summer may cost up to three times more than those for Qatar 2022. “This pricing level follows the American/Fifa model of squeezing more and more from fans,” the AST remarked, indicating a shift towards a more commercialised approach.
The trust pointed out the timing of the announcement, which comes after Arsenal’s boardroom has become “more US-centric following three appointments in September 2025.” They argued that the new pricing structure raises questions about the club’s commitment to engaging with its supporters.
While the AST acknowledged “temporary comfort” from assurances that A+ fixtures would be limited to two matches for at least the next two seasons, apprehensions about “price category creep” remain. Meanwhile, the announcement of safe standing at the Emirates has been positively received by supporters, with the Clock End and North Bank stands set to accommodate approximately 13,500 fans in safe standing areas by the 2027/28 season, following persistent campaigning by fan groups.
As Arsenal navigates the increasing pressures of modern football financing, the unresolved tension between affordability for fans and profitability for clubs continues. The club’s decisions will likely shape how loyal supporters engage with their passion in an increasingly commercialised sport.
