The cost of a ticket to a soccer game can vary significantly depending on the league, teams playing, seat location, and other factors. In general, tickets to see top professional teams in leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Major League Soccer tend to be quite expensive. Tickets to see lower division professional or semi-pro teams are often much more affordable. Here is an overview of typical soccer ticket prices and factors that influence cost:
Ticket Prices in Top Professional Leagues
In top leagues like the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, and French Ligue 1, ticket prices for matches between top teams can easily run over $100 USD. For example, premium seats at a Manchester United or Real Madrid home match often start around $150-$200 each. Even regular seats for big rivalry matches or teams chasing the league title can cost $75-$150 each. The most in-demand matches like El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona can have an average ticket price of $250 or more.
In the United States, Major League Soccer tickets tend to be more affordable than the top European leagues, with an average price of around $35 according to a 2021 survey. However, prices for matches between prominent teams like the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders can still exceed $100 for good seats. Premier seating and suites at the new top-tier stadiums run by Atlanta United and LAFC can also cost $200 or more per ticket.
Factors Influencing Ticket Prices
Several key factors influence the ticket prices for professional soccer matches:
- Prominence of the league – The most popular leagues like the Premier League can charge higher prices.
- Popularity and quality of the teams – Big clubs with star players like Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain cost more than small clubs.
- Stadium size – Smaller stadiums lead to higher demand and prices for tickets.
- New/renovated stadiums – Prices tend to be higher in newer arenas with modern amenities.
- Rivalries – Matches between rivals like Liverpool and Manchester United fetch higher prices.
- Team performance – Teams chasing the league title or Champions League qualification demand higher prices.
- Seat location – Midfield seats and those closer to the pitch are most expensive.
Ticket Prices in Lower Professional Leagues
Below the top division professional leagues, ticket prices tend to be much more affordable for fans. Here are some examples of average ticket prices in lower league soccer:
League | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
English Championship (2nd division) | $30 |
English League One (3rd division) | $25 |
English League Two (4th division) | $20 |
German 2. Bundesliga | $20 |
French Ligue 2 | $15 |
Spanish Segunda Division | $30 |
USL Championship (U.S. 2nd division) | $20 |
As you can see, even at the lower league levels, average ticket prices tend to range from $15-30. The atmosphere and crowds at matches in these leagues remain excellent, making them an affordable option for soccer fans who still want a high quality live experience.
Amateur, College, and Youth Soccer Ticket Prices
For local amateur adult leagues, college soccer, and elite youth soccer, ticket prices are typically much lower or even free in many cases. Here are some typical price ranges:
- Amateur Adult Leagues – $5-10 on average (if any charge)
- College Soccer – $3-10 on average, sometimes free
- Youth Elite Academies – Free to $5
The cheapest option for watching live soccer is often at the college level. Many U.S. college soccer matches featuring Division 1 teams are free or just a few dollars for admission. College soccer draws decent crowds of a few hundred or thousand fans per match. Elite youth academies also typically do not charge for admission outside of some playoff situations.
Paying for Season Ticket Packages
In professional leagues, fans can often save money by purchasing season tickets or multi-game packages compared to buying individual tickets per match. Season tickets typically include:
- Same seat for all home league matches
- 10-20% discount compared to individual ticket prices
- Priority or early access to cup matches and playoffs
- Access to special season ticket holder events
- Discounts on team merchandise
The cost of a season ticket package varies based on factors like seat location, team, and league. But they offer big savings for avid fans over buying 17-20 home match tickets individually. It’s common for professional teams to offer financing plans for season tickets to spread out costs as well.
Estimated Season Ticket Costs
Team & League | Season Ticket Price Range |
---|---|
Manchester United (Premier League) | $950 – $1300+ |
LA Galaxy (MLS) | $400 – $2000 |
FC Barcelona (La Liga) | $850 – $2500+ |
Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga) | $550 – $1200 |
Leeds United (Championship) | $325 – $625 |
Derby County (League One) | $325 – $450 |
Sacramento Republic (USL) | $180 – $600 |
Again, the Premier League and La Liga command the highest season ticket prices, while lower league and MLS clubs tend to have cheaper season ticket packages.
Booking Individual Match Tickets
If you just want to attend one or a handful of games rather than a full season, here are some tips for booking individual match tickets:
- Buy early – Prices go up closer to match day.
- Less in-demand games – Weeknight or low profile opponent matches often cost less.
- Upper deck tickets – The highest seats in corners or ends of stadiums are cheapest.
- Discounts – Kids, students, and senior citizens discounts are sometimes available.
- Resale sites – Sites like Stubhub offer secondary market tickets, but often have high fees.
- Promotions – Check team website for special ticket deals and giveaways.
Buying well in advance, aiming for low-demand games, and sitting in the corners or upper decks are good ways to get cheaper individual match tickets.
Factors That Add to Ticket Cost
While the baseline price to get in the stadium makes up the bulk of the ticket cost, there are some additional factors that can drive up the total expense:
- Booking Fees – Online and phone booking charges can add 10-15%+.
- Payment Fees – Large credit card transaction fees can sometimes apply.
- Shipping Fees – Having paper tickets mailed incurs shipping/handling fees.
- Secondary Market Premiums – Resellers like Stubhub build in profits, adding 20-50%+ to costs.
- Foreign Transaction Fees – Currency exchanges and foreign charges for buying abroad.
While the base cost is set by the team/league, extra fees tacked on during checkout can make the total ticket price end up 20-30% higher in some cases.
How Team Performance Impacts Cost
A soccer club’s on-field performance has a direct impact on ticket prices in both the short and long term. When teams are winning consistently and contending for titles, demand for tickets understandably goes up. In contrast, teams struggling against relegation or mired in losing seasons tend to have declining ticket prices and demand.
In the short term, if a club is on a hot streak winning 5-6 matches in a row, ticket prices on the secondary market for upcoming games often spike. Whole seasons following a league title or domestic cup also typically have elevated demand and prices as fans jump on the bandwagon.
In the longer term, a winning team that qualifies repeatedly for the Champions League or makes deep cup runs creates sustainably higher demand. Consistent losing and relegation battles conversely deflate ticket prices over years.
Soccer fans clearly prefer to watch winning teams if given the choice. This drives a cycle where the best teams can leverage success to charge higher prices, then use that revenue to invest further in talent and success.
Examples of Team Performance Impacts
- Arsenal raised season ticket prices 63% after their unbeaten 2003-04 Premier League season.
- Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles from 1993-2013. Their ticket prices rose from around $30 to over $100 per game during that period of dominance.
- Leicester City’s surprise 2015-16 Premier League title led to a 30% increase in season ticket prices the next year.
- When Sunderland suffered back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018, their ticket prices dropped over 30%.
- The LA Galaxy capitalized on the David Beckham era success to raise ticket prices nearly 40% from 2007-2012.
The numbers demonstrate clearly how much wiggle room winning provides for raising prices. Both short term success and long term dominance enable teams to charge substantially more.
Best Ways to Get Cheap Tickets
For fans on a tight budget looking to get soccer tickets for less, here are some of the best tips and strategies:
- Buy season tickets with a group and split games – Splitting a full season package can drop costs to $10-20 per ticket.
- Buy upper deck or corner seats – The worst seats in the least desirable sections are cheapest.
- Buy group packages – Groups of 10+ people often get discounts around 20% or more.
- Look for weeknight games – Weekend and rivalry matches are most expensive.
- Buy last minute – Prices can drop if demand is low close to match time.
- Buy early cup match rounds – Big knockout cup games get cheaper as underdogs progress.
- Avoid booking fees – Buy directly at the box office to skip online fees.
- Join fan clubs – Official clubs sometimes have ticket lotteries or access to deals.
With the right strategy, fans can often save 25-75% compared to paying full price for the best seats against marquee opponents.
Average Cost by League
To summarize, here are the estimated average costs to attend a game across some of the top soccer leagues and competitions:
League | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
English Premier League | $100 |
German Bundesliga | $70 |
Spanish La Liga | $90 |
Italian Serie A | $60 |
French Ligue 1 | $40 |
Major League Soccer | $35 |
UEFA Champions League | $150 |
English Championship | $30 |
USL Championship | $20 |
The Premier League and Champions League are consistently the most expensive tickets, while lower league and MLS provide more affordable options for fans.
Conclusion
In summary, professional soccer ticket prices vary widely based on the league, teams involved, stadium location, seating section, and many other factors. Fans can pay hundreds for the best seats at the biggest matches, while those on a budget have options like getting season tickets or sitting in the corners and upper decks for a more affordable experience. With the right planning and research, soccer fans at every price point can enjoy seeing the beautiful game live.