With Euro 2016 about to kick off, it’s not just the performance of England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the pitch that risks leaving fans disappointed.
Football fans will be getting out the barbecues and bunting ready to cheer on the home nations at the Stade Vélodrome, Stade de Bordeaux and Stade de Nice, as Euro 2016 kicks off next weekend. But if you’re looking to grab a last-minute ticket to the sold-out tournament you could be disappointed – and not just at the final score.
Our investigation has revealed a significant number of unofficial websites claiming to sell Euro 2016 tickets in breach of restrictions.
UEFA’s terms and conditions clearly say tickets can only be resold through its official resale site and that you must bring photo ID to get in to the stadium. So fans who buy tickets sold in someone else’s name are running a big risk of parting with a lot of money only to be turned away at the gate.
And we’re not just talking about a few quid. We found some tickets on unofficial secondary sites selling for up to £5,000 and the price is expected to go up as it gets closer to the tournament final.
Why are you breaking ticket rules?
We contacted websites, including www.gettickets.com, www.atstickets.com and www.europeanchampionshipstickets.com, advertising tickets for games across the tournament. We asked why they’re selling tickets in breach of UEFA rules and why they’re not warning people of the risks in buying them.
None of them replied and we’ve now shared our concerns about the sites with Trading Standards, Action Fraud and City of London Police, as well as other consumer organisations in countries whose teams are taking part in the tournament.
Fans who buy tickets from these sites may receive official tickets that were bought in someone else’s name, but we also want to warn you about a different risk – of websites that may be set up with the sole aim of scamming money from fans looking for tickets.
If you’re searching for Euro 2016 tickets, we advise you to buy only through official channels. If you don’t, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get into the game and you could be left thousands of pounds out of pocket. We also think more must be done in the UK and across borders to stop sites that do break the rules and scam members of the public.
Whether buying tickets to the football or other sold-out events this summer, Which? has a free guide on how to tell if a ticket seller is official or not.
If you’ve bought a ticket that hasn’t turned up, or you suspect is fake, contact your credit card provider immediately, as you may be able to get your money back. Also, report them to Action Fraud so it can investigate.
Have you bought tickets from unofficial sellers, did they arrive on time and where you able to see the event or did you have any problems?
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