It’s no secret that there’s a problem with ticket touting and fraud when it comes to buying tickets to Premier League games.
Thousands of fans have been defrauded in the last 12 months alone, and real fans are becoming frustrated and confused when trying to secure tickets to watch the team they love.
Whilst SportsBreaks is an official partner of Brentford FC, Everton, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, not every company out there lives by the same high standards and customer protection values as we do.
It’s no longer recommended that you buy tickets from a reputable company, it’s essential.
Recent investigations have revealed the alarming scale of ticketing scams across the Premier League.
A BBC report highlighted that over 6,000 UK fans were defrauded last season, with average losses of £177 per person and some exceeding £1,000.
Lloyds Bank found that more than half of victims were aged between 18 and 34, often targeted via social media platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and X (formerly Twitter).
The problem goes far beyond isolated incidents. Premier League clubs are battling widespread touting operations. Liverpool FC shut down 145,000 fake ticketing accounts over two seasons and issued 1,114 lifetime bans last year.
Arsenal FC cancelled nearly 74,000 accounts and banned over 7,000 memberships, while Chelsea FC blocked more than 350,000 bot-driven purchase attempts.
Brighton & Hove Albion even intercepted 150 fraudulent tickets for a single FA Cup match.
According to The Telegraph, ticket bots have created an “industrial-scale” problem. These sophisticated programmes allow touts to hoover up thousands of tickets within seconds. For example, two tickets for a London derby between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC were listed on a Madrid-based resale site for £1,817.40, despite only having a combined face value of £163.60.
Only Buy from Official Partners
The Premier League advises fans to purchase tickets directly from clubs or their authorised partners. SportsBreaks is proud to be one of these trusted partners, offering not just tickets but complete travel and hospitality packages.
Whether you’re planning a weekend in Liverpool, a midweek match in Manchester or a day out in North London, SportsBreaks ensures your experience is safe and secure (as well as a memorable one).
Checking that tickets are genuine is only one part of the puzzle.
If you are buying your tickets with a travel and/or accommodation component, then check to make sure that your package is ATOL and ABTA protected. Any reputable company will have this included as standard where it’s applicable to the package.
Also, check the customer reviews of the company selling those tickets. Sometimes, things don’t go to plan that are completely outside your control, including fixture date/time changes due to TV scheduling, inclement weather, or a host of other unforeseen problems.
When those things do happen, you’ll want to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable company that have a proven track record or supporting their customers. Check out review platforms such as Feefo to see what customers are saying about that company before making a purchase decision.
Enjoy the Game
Once you’re happy that the tickets are genuine, the seller is reputable and has a proven track record of supporting customers, and you’re protected by the appropriate level of cover, you’re good to go.
Fortunately, we tick all those boxes. Find your perfect Premier League fixture here and experience football the way it’s meant to be: secure, official and unforgettable.