Update: ‘Can’t believe it’s over’ – Fans frustrated as Man City impose new season ticket restrictions News

Manchester City have announced more details of their 2025/26 season ticket policies, meeting some key fan demands but also changing some important aspects of existing tickets.

Manchester City will allow some members to purchase new season tickets for the first time in years following last week’s announcement that prices will be frozen for next season.

However, supporters have been left frustrated by changes to existing season ticket rules for the 2025/26 season which will demand they attend more games and offer less freedom to transfer tickets to family and friends.

City fans have been lobbying the club for months to improve their ticket policies, with the elected Fan Advisory Board, City Matters, putting pressure on to engage in conversation over prices and other issues. Supporter groups recently held a successful protest in which they stayed in the concourses at the Etihad for nine minutes vs Leicester – prompting the club to freeze matchday and season ticket prices after finally meeting with City Matters the following day.

That announcement lacked any detail on further ticket policies, however, and the club have now confirmed a number of changes to season ticket terms for next season, listening to some fan requests but leaving more questions than answers.

One controversial policy is the Flexi-Gold ticket, which allows supporters to opt in to every game in a chosen seat for the £150 up front cost, with full attendance equalling the cost of a full season ticket. However those tickets were unable to be listed on the ticket exchange or transferred to family or friends and could not be upgraded to a full season ticket.

A demand of supporters during their protests and in an open letter to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was the ability for Flexi-Gold ticket holders to be able to purchase a full season ticket next season as well as the removal of the £150 charge attached to that ticket. And now the club will allow Flexi-Gold members who have attended 16 or more Premier League games this season (from the total of 19) to upgrade to a 93:20, Gold or Platinum season ticket.

That represents the first new season tickets offered in over six years, even if it will only affect some of the 1,100 Flexi-Gold members from the current season. Flexi-Gold members will also be able to transfer tickets to family and friends with an active paid membership for three games a season.

However, changes to the transfer rules have been met with frustration from supporters who have argued that the club are making it harder for them to control how they use their ticket. From next season, fans will be able to select three people to receive transferred tickets without a City membership, with any other fan wanting to use a friend or family member’s season ticket now needing a paid membership.

The previous 14-game minimum attendance rule will also be raised to 16. Fans would previously have to ‘utilise’ their ticket for 14 games in order to retain their ticket for the following season, which covered personal attendance, transfer to another fan, listing the ticket on the ticket exchange or donating it to City in the Community.

Now, that threshold will be 16 games, with City saying: “This change aims to increase attendance at the Etihad Stadium, while further encouraging Season Ticket Members to manage their ticket so that one of the tens of thousands of members has the chance to attend when they cannot.”

Season ticket holders must personally attend 10 of those games – over half of Premier League home fixtures. The ten-game minimum attendance for Flexi-Gold ticket holders will remain.

Supporter groups have criticised the changes, with some fans posting that the changes will force them to give up their tickets held for decades. Sarah Michaelides posted on X: “Completely gutted. I am not close to making 10 games a season at the moment due to my baby but knew I’ll be back regularly one day. Not once this season has my seat been empty. After 25 years as a season ticket holder and my closest connection to my Dad. Can’t believe its over.”

@18mcfc94 wrote: “My co parenting commitments and the fact all of our games seem to fall on Saturdays and Wednesdays means I may not make this either next season, but it won’t be forever. 23 years of ST for me. Never once has my seat been empty. Loyalty means nothing.”

Paul Roberts posted: “I’m not happy, I’ve had a season ticket since the Etihad move (& before then, at Maine Rd in 70s). I now live mainly in Crete, but put my ticket on exchange or transfer to family & friends. I can’t probably make it to 10 (>50%) games “personally” next season – they’re rid of me.”

Leon Gates wrote: “It would be fine if 16/19 games were Saturday 3pm kick-offs with the odd Wednesday 7:45pm kick off. But they won’t be. You have no idea of the demands on the working fan, the fan with kids and the non local fan.”

The 1894 Group, MCFC Fans Supporting Foodbanks and Trade Union Blues announced a further protest on ticket policies before Thursday’s announcement, with a peaceful protest to be held outside the Colin Bell Stand before the fixture vs Aston Villa next week before another concourse protest against Wolves.

In a statement, City Matters wrote: “Whilst we cannot always agree on a collective outcome with the club, we are pleased that our engagement has been prolonged in recent weeks. Our hope is that this level of engagement is standardised and strengthened in the months and years ahead.

“There is a significant amount of information in [this] announcement. Our collective view as City Matters is that there is a mixture of both positives and challenges to be recognised. However, the decision to freeze season ticket pricing and offer a traditional season ticket to Flexi Gold members who attend a high number of matches is a significant step forward in City Matters’ ability to influence the direction of strategic items.

“We will continue to engage with the club in the remaining meetings this season and beyond, reflecting the views of supporters.”

Manchester City have been approached for comment.

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