UEFA cancels some Euro 2020 ballot tickets - but expensive hospitality packages still available

Ticket holders for this summer’s rescheduled European Championships are in uproar after UEFA cancelled some ballot tickets.

UEFA has sent emails to fans informing them their Euro 2020 tickets have been cancelled because stadiums will be operating at reduced capacity due to the pandemic.

The tournament was originally scheduled for last summer but was rescheduled due to COVID-19.

Many fans have held tickets since 2019 and some have taken to social media to note that, despite UEFA cancelling tickets, they continue to sell expensive hospitality packages.

Host stadiums will welcome fans at a reduced capacity, with attendances set to vary between 25% and 50%.

Around 21,000 tickets are available for England’s three group games at Wembley, as it is operating at 25% capacity.

Capacity could increase to 50% from 21 June, if the UK government adheres to its current timetable for loosening COVID-19 restrictions.

Tom, a ticketholder from Cambridgeshire, said: “Our family had England tickets allocated since 2019 and to have them taken away from us at this late stage is really frustrating.

Were you allocated tickets for #Euro2020 for games at Wembley after 21 June?

Have they now been taken off you?

I think UEFA may have taken my tickets off me to sell to someone else… 🤔 I was expecting the stadium to be full by the semi-finals! pic.twitter.com/iHOhTISS5E

“We had no specific details sent through about how a ballot process for tickets already allocated would work, the communication to fans has been shocking.”

MP for Walsall North, Eddie Hughes, said on Twitter that he is “expecting the stadium to be full by the semi-final” and thinks UEFA have cancelled his tickets “to sell to someone else”.

An email from UEFA reads: “Dear football fan, we are sorry to inform you that your ticket(s) for UEFA Euro 2020 have been cancelled as per the ballot process for matches where the number of sold tickets exceeded the new permitted seating capacities.”

Others have taken on Twitter to complain that they too have had their tickets for later games cancelled despite crowd sizes not yet having been determined.

@EURO2020 @UEFA before cancelling my ticket to the Final wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to have waited until English authorities said whether the game was going to be at capacity or not (as is the hope)? #Euro2021 What happens if they say it will be. I get my ticket back?

George Hull, from Bristol, said his tickets for a semi-final at Wembley had been cancelled.

“It was kind of an annoying thing because they haven’t given final confirmation on how many they’ll have for the semi-final and final,” he said.

“Looking at it now with what’s going on with the Indian variant I can imagine it’ll be on the lower end of what they can have.

“You can still buy hospitality tickets for those matches as well which is something that rubs salt into the wound somewhat.

“I fully expected to lose those tickets… because they’re the fans first ones, they’ll be the first ones to be cancelled because they’re the ones people are paying the least amount for.”

Scott Sheppard, 32, from Birmingham, had been allocated two single tickets, one to what turned out to be the England-Scotland game, and one for one of the semi-finals.

Good to know there's plenty of availability on hospitality for #England vs #Scotland #EURO2020 #Euro2021 when my £50 tickets have just been cancelled. It's only an extra 1850 Euros, and comes with free prawn sandwiches no doubt.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, July restrictions could be lifted more.

“We don’t even know what the capacity is going to be for Wembley in July, so I don’t understand why those tickets have been cancelled as well.

“I’m annoyed, gutted, because I’ve been reading on Twitter that they’re selling corporate tickets for upwards of €1,000.

So let me get this right… I’ve just been told my tickets to the #Euro2021 semi final have been cancelled due to capacity but @JustEatUK are giving away tickets in competitions? Thanks @UEFA putting corporate before fans as always!

“I just feel like they’ve just done a blanket cancel on all the normal cheaper tickets and they’re just going to sell them to corporate.”

UEFA is selling hospitality tickets on the tournament’s official website, ranging from €700 (£604) per person for club tickets to €980 (£845) per person for tickets in a private suite.

Private suite tickets for England’s group game against Scotland at Wembley on 18 June cost €1,900 (£1,640) per person.

Absolutely wounded I lost my tickets to #Euro2021 #UEFA

A UEFA spokesperson said: “The ballots are currently taking place across all matches based on the current confirmed capacities.

“Should the capacities increase, the tickets will be offered with priority to those whose tickets have been cancelled in the current ballot.

“In case you have tickets for multiple matches, it may be possible that you keep tickets for one match and lose tickets for another match,” European football’s governing body has advised supporters on its website.

“If you have more than one ticket for the same match within the same order, they will either all remain valid or they will all be cancelled.”

Which? consumer rights spokesman Adam French said: “It would be a welcome move for event organisers and travel firms to show flexibility and understanding to any fans who may have paid for travel and accommodation to ensure, as far as possible, that they are not left out of pocket.

“We believe Uefa and travel companies should offer refunds and flexibility to UK fans who may not want or be permitted to travel to matches in countries that aren’t on the green list and are unlikely to be covered by travel insurance.”

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