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. Even better? They're cracking down on ticket scalping with some smart new rules.
The cheapest tickets remain at just 70 euros (about $80) for the third year running. That's a refreshing change from what we're seeing with other major tournaments. Thousands of these affordable seats will be available to supporters of both finalist teams.
Here's the breakdown of who gets what. Each finalist club receives 17,200 tickets out of 61,400 total seats at Budapest's Puskas Arena for the May 30 showdown. Another 4,600 tickets go into a global lottery through UEFA's website.
Anti-Scalping Measures That Actually Work
UEFA is getting serious about stopping ticket resellers. Anyone who wins tickets in the lottery must register their mobile phone. You'll need that same phone to get into the stadium on match day because tickets aren't transferable.
If you miss out in the lottery, you might still get lucky. UEFA will give unsuccessful lottery participants exclusive access to buy any resold tickets. And here's the kicker – all resales must be at face value with zero fees for sellers.
This stands in stark contrast to FIFA's World Cup approach. Critics have slammed FIFA's 2026 World Cup ticket market as "official scalping." FIFA allows unlimited resale prices and takes a hefty 15% cut from both buyers and sellers.
Ticket Categories and What's Reserved
While the cheapest seats stayed frozen, higher-tier tickets got bumped up last year in Munich. Those prices now hold steady for Budapest at 180 euros ($206), 650 euros ($747), and 950 euros ($1,090).
Disabled supporters also pay just 70 euros, with one companion ticket completely free. That's a classy move from UEFA.
Over 22,000 tickets are set aside for broadcasters, sponsors, national football associations, and UEFA guests. UEFA works with Football Supporters Europe on ticket policies – a fan group FIFA notably didn't consult for World Cup pricing.
For bettors eyeing the final, these fair ticket prices mean bigger crowds of genuine supporters. That typically creates better atmosphere and could influence home advantage factors, especially if one team's fans significantly outnumber the other in the lottery allocation.
