FA increases spending on hospitality and Wembley tickets by 25% — The Guardian

In England, the Football Association (FA) spent £564,400 on tickets and hospitality for members of its council in the 2025–2026 season. This is 25% more than in the previous season, when spending amounted to £452,300, The Guardian reports.

Free access to matches

The FA Council includes more than 120 people, including English Football League chair Rick Parry, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango and Premier League executives. Council members can attend England national team and FA Cup matches at Wembley free of charge, including the tournament’s semi-finals and final.

Each of them can also invite one guest. Council members are provided with free food and drinks, as well as premium seats. An FA spokesperson explained the increase in spending by an upgrade to the hospitality offering so that it matches the level of services provided by football clubs and other industry representatives.

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Costs may rise

According to FA accounts, the Fellowship of Council programme, introduced in 2017, may contribute to a further increase in spending. It allows former council members who served for at least nine years to retain the right to free tickets, food and drinks after their term ends.

FA company secretary Richard McDermott noted in the accounts that as the number of Fellowship participants grows each year, spending on tickets and hospitality will also increase. The FA proposes changing the benefits for programme participants so that these costs begin to decrease from 2027.

Spending on holding FA Council meetings also nearly doubled, from £18,600 to £33,200. A significant part of this increase was linked to higher hospitality costs.