Great news for football fans planning to attend the Champions League final in Budapest. UEFA announced Monday that ticket prices will stay exactly the same as last year's game. This marks the third straight year that the cheapest tickets remain at 70 euros (about $80).
The decision puts UEFA in stark contrast with FIFA's controversial World Cup ticketing approach. While FIFA faced massive criticism for their resale platform that many called "official scalping," UEFA is taking a much more fan-friendly route.
Here's what makes UEFA's system better. When fans need to resell their tickets, they can only charge face value. No markup allowed. Plus, UEFA doesn't take any fees from sellers. Compare that to FIFA's World Cup approach, where they took a hefty 15% cut from both buyers and sellers with no price limits.
How to Get Your Champions League Final Tickets
The May 30 final at Budapest's Puskas Arena will have 61,400 seats available. Each of the two finalists gets 17,200 tickets to distribute to their fans. That's a pretty generous allocation that should help genuine supporters get in.
Another 4,600 tickets will be up for grabs through a global lottery on UEFA's website. If you win, you'll need to register your mobile phone. That's your ticket to enter the stadium, literally. Your ticket becomes non-transferable and linked to your phone, which helps stop scalpers.
Didn't win the lottery? You'll get first crack at any resale tickets that become available. UEFA is keeping those exclusively for people who entered but didn't win.
Ticket Prices and Betting Implications
The pricing structure shows four tiers. The cheapest seats at 70 euros are perfect for budget-conscious fans. Disabled spectators also pay 70 euros, and their companion gets in free. Higher category seats cost 180 euros ($206), 650 euros ($747), and 950 euros ($1,090).
For those interested in betting markets, knowing which teams reach the final will be crucial. The generous ticket allocations mean strong traveling support, which historically can impact team performance. Home atmosphere advantages might be less pronounced with 34,400 tickets going to the finalists' fans combined.
UEFA reserves over 22,000 tickets for broadcasters, sponsors, soccer federations, and guests. The organization works with Football Supporters Europe on ticketing policies. FIFA notably didn't consult this group for World Cup pricing, which partly explains the backlash they received.
After widespread criticism, FIFA eventually offered a few hundred $60 seats per game at the 2026 World Cup. But that felt like too little, too late for many fans. UEFA's approach from the start shows they're actually listening to supporters.
