Paper season tickets have been phased out in the Premier League, with clubs switching to digital passes that fans download to their phones. Alongside the change, many teams have tightened rules on if and how often season-ticket holders can transfer their seats.
At Manchester United, supporters risk losing their season ticket if they don’t attend, or officially pass on, at least 16 of the 19 home league games to approved friends or family.
Last season, the club relocated 500 long-standing season-ticket holders to make space for more hospitality seating. Since Ineos took a partial stake in 2024, United has also made significant staff cuts, including in the ticketing department.
United says it uses largely automated third-party tools to spot suspicious accounts. In a note to the fans’ forum after the first wave of restrictions went out, the club defended its methods and said most of those flagged had breached rules. The review focused on clusters of accounts showing signs of central control or automated activity, and the club is confident the vast majority were correctly identified and sanctioned.
United also mounted a major anti-touting drive last season, cancelling 22,000 tickets across the first five home matches. They consider that just a fraction of the problem and estimate touts control 10–15% of season tickets.
Supporters’ groups, fan clubs, and fanzines issued a joint statement backing efforts to stop touting but urging a fairer, more transparent approach. They said both the club and its fans want tickets used by genuine Manchester United supporters and the system’s integrity protected. They argued that trust, transparency, proportionate enforcement, better-designed systems, and real engagement are essential, and called on the club to review its current strategy with fan representatives to rebuild confidence.