A BBC investigation has revealed an extensive black market in Premier League tickets run by overseas firms, exposing safety risks and prompting calls for tougher action from clubs and government.
A BBC Sport investigation has exposed a vast black market in Premier League tickets, revealing how overseas companies exploit legal loopholes to resell match seats at huge markups. Reporters easily bought tickets for last weekend’s fixtures at Manchester City, Arsenal, Everton and West Ham—often paying two to four times face value—despite the resale of football tickets being illegal in the UK.
The outlets, based in Spain, Dubai, Germany and Estonia, use bots and fake memberships to obtain tickets en masse from clubs’ online platforms. One firm operates from Engelberg, a Swiss resort of 4,000 residents. Some tickets were sent via UK phone numbers on WhatsApp, with strict instructions not to speak to stewards.
BBC Sport found thousands of listings per match on four “unauthorised” sites, including offers as high as £14,962. Ticket security expert Reg Walker warned that “speculative listings” mean many advertised tickets may not exist. Fans reported paying hundreds of pounds only to be denied entry, while others, like a Japanese family, paid £2,200 for seats with an £87 face value.
Arsenal said it has cancelled 74,000 suspicious accounts, while Everton cited joint operations with police. The Premier League, which maintains a list of more than 50 unauthorised sellers, declined to comment but is renewing anti-touting support for clubs.
Football Supporters’ Association chair Tom Greatrex called the practice “endemic across the game” and urged stronger legislation to address the overseas loophole. “If segregation is undermined…there is potential for an incident to occur,” he warned.
Ticombo, one of the firms named, rejected allegations, insisting it is a “trusted resale platform” and defended the “important role of secondary markets in promoting consumer choice and competition.”