Celtic & Rangers top Champions League ticket prices

Celtic and Rangers were on average the most expensive clubs to visit for away supporters in last season’s Champions League, according to a new study.

Celtic’s average was 69.45 euros with Rangers marginally lower at 68.85.

Celtic charged the maximum away ticket price of 70 euros three times in the competition, Rangers did so twice.

The study was carried out by Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which says the cost of away tickets in the Champions League and Uefa’s other club competitions remains “stubbornly high” but that there was significant variation between countries.

Away tickets were sold at the price cap at more than 18 per cent of Champions League matches last season, with the average away ticket price in the 2022-23 competition being 47 euros (£40).

FSE found 12 of the 32 teams in last season’s Champions League group phase charged the maximum away ticket price of 70 euros at least once during the season.

European champions Manchester City did so on six occasions, but despite that fact City were the eighth-cheapest club to watch in the Champions League, with away tickets averaging at slightly more than 40 euros (£35).

Tickets were sold at the Europa League’s 45 euro (£39) price cap at a quarter of matches in the competition, with the average away ticket price just under 30 euros (£26).

Away ticket prices in Germany were more than 20 euros cheaper than the competition average, with standing sectors a big contributor to this and some tickets priced as low as 15 euros (£13).

Only one game in Germany was found to be charged at the away price cap, compared to 16 in Spain, 10 in Italy and nine in England.

FSE executive director Ronan Evain said: “It is FSE’s firm position that clubs have a responsibility to reward the loyalty of travelling fans and to facilitate affordable pricing, especially considering the increase of revenue for all clubs during the next Champions League cycle.”

The 70 euro price cap for the Champions League was introduced by Uefa in 2019 after clubs were charging as much as 119 euros (£103) to away supporters at matches in the 2018-19 season.

The price cap for the Europa Conference League was set at 25 euros (£21.50) prior to the start of this season.