The Charity Shield is an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season’s Premier League and FA Cup competitions. As one of the first fixtures of the new season, the Charity Shield offers fans an early opportunity to see their team in action and often provides an indicator of how prepared teams are ahead of the upcoming campaign.
With thousands of fans eager to attend, ticket availability for the Charity Shield is always limited. As the match is hosted at Wembley Stadium, seating capacity is around 90,000. However, when the game is hosted outside of Wembley, the ticket quantities available can vary dramatically based on the specific stadium’s size.
Ticket prices are set each year by the Football Association (FA) and can range quite significantly. The costs reflect the prestige of the event but are also designed to raise vital funds for charities – hence the name, Charity Shield. But with demand so high among loyal and eager supporters, how much can you expect to pay to attend this coveted pre-season fixture?
Ticket Prices
The exact ticket pricing for each Charity Shield match is only announced in the couple of months leading up to the game. However, looking at recent years provides guidance on what fans can typically expect to pay.
In the 2022 Charity Shield between Liverpool and Manchester City held at Leicester City’s stadium, ticket prices were as follows:
– Adult tickets ranged from £20 (for category 3 seating) up to £45 (for category 1 seating).
– Concession tickets were available from £10 (category 3) to £22.50 (category 1). Concession prices apply for over 65s, under 21s and members of the armed forces.
– A student ticket cost £15 across all categories.
– Under 16 tickets cost just £1 in the lowest ticket category.
This pricing structure was very similar in 2021 when the match was again hosted at Leicester City. In 2019 and 2020, the fixtures returned to Wembley Stadium where the ticket pricing was:
– £30-£50 for adults
– £20 for concessions
– £10 for under 16s
Factors Impacting Price
The main factors affecting Charity Shield match ticket pricing each year include:
– Location – Prices are highest when hosted at Wembley due to its large capacity. Smaller alternative venues lead to cheaper tickets.
– Prestige of the occasion – The FA considers the event’s status as the traditional curtain raiser to the season when setting ticket prices.
– Response to demand – Very high interest will lead to increased prices, within reasonable limits.
– Charitable fundraising goals – The match is focused on raising funds for designated charities.
Comparing the ticket costs to regular Premier League matches provides some context. Category 1 adult tickets across Premier League clubs range from around £30-£100. This is driven by factors like the specific club, seat location, opponents, and day of the week.
While Charity Shield tickets sold by the clubs themselves are towards the cheaper end of this scale, further pricing context is obtained by examining secondary ticket markets.
Secondary Market Prices
Given extremely high demand, tickets listed on secondary resale sites can sell for well above face value. However, with the game acting as an important pre-season test, clubs generally try to ensure season ticket holders can attend and do not release too many tickets beyond usual allocation limits.
On resale sites like LiveFootballTickets.com, for example, 2022 Charity Shield tickets were listed between £75 – £549 each. These inflated prices are reflective of desperate fans’ willingness to pay over the odds to experience the match live in-person. Examining the secondary market gives insight into real demand levels as fans bid up scarce tickets.
Sellers with tickets purchased during a regular members sale can try to profit from very limited availability. Buyers may feel forced to pay these inflated prices to gain entry. However, this is risky as resale tickets are often invalid or fake. The FA does try to crack down on black market sales channels to ensure fairness.
Factors Driving Secondary Market Prices
Secondary market prices for Charity Shield tickets are primarily driven by:
– Very limited ticket availability. Usually fewer than 25,000 tickets are made available to each club.
– Prestige of the occasion as the season opener featuring two major teams.
– Significance as the first chance to evaluate new signings and tactics.
– Passion of fans who are excited for the new season.
– Risk buyers are willing to take on potentially invalid resale tickets.
How To Get Face Value Tickets
To avoid paying vastly inflated secondary ticket prices, fans need access to tickets during the initial sale. Getting tickets at face value requires planning and savvy. Here are some top tips:
– Become a club member well ahead of time. Members normally get priority access to tickets before the general public.
– Link your account to any fan clubs or supporters groups that are allocated tickets.
– Logon ahead of the announced sale time and refresh repeatedly on both desktop and mobile. Be ready the minute tickets are released.
– Use desktop, mobile and app access all at once to increase chances in case one crashes.
– Have all payment details already saved to enable the fastest possible checkout.
– Only buy tickets in official club sales, not third-party resellers.
Persistence and determination are key. With more people wanting tickets than supply available, gaining access at face value requires preparation and luck. But paying inflated secondary market prices should not be necessary for the most savvy and dedicated fans.
Conclusion
Charity Shield tickets always see incredible demand given the game’s prestige as the curtain raiser to every Premier League season. Fans are eager to watch their team compete in the historic match and size up new signings.
Official ticket prices typically range from £20-50 depending on seat location. But scarce availability means secondary resellers can charge inflated prices of £75+, often for potentially invalid tickets.
While the occasion’s profile allows the FA to charge reasonable prices, extremely limited quantities mean gaining access takes planning, perseverance and a bit of good fortune. But for dedicated fans who prepare thoroughly and are ready to act fast, securing tickets at face value is an achievable goal.
Year | Location | Teams | Adult Ticket Price Range | Secondary Market Prices* |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Leicester City Stadium | Liverpool v Manchester City | £20 – £45 | £75 – £549 |
2021 | Leicester City Stadium | Leicester City v Manchester City | £20 – £45 | £97 – £600 |
2020 | Wembley Stadium | Liverpool v Arsenal | £30 – £50 | £122 – £950 |
2019 | Wembley Stadium | Manchester City v Liverpool | £30 – £50 | £91 – £799 |
*Secondary market price ranges via LiveFootballTickets.com