Many Blues fans were taken aback on Tuesday when the club announced match day prices for the 2026/27 season. Without any prior consultation or the offering of an explanation, inflation busting increases for many were revealed in individual emails sent to existing season ticket holders.
The Club revealed significant increase in prices, rises that appear to far exceed the current rate of inflation and the broader cost-of-living pressures facing supporters. Variable increases five, six and seven times the current rate of inflation have been imposed for some supporters, with senior citizens, families and children amongst those seemingly hit the hardest.
Blues Trust is deeply concerned by both the scale of these increases and the manner in which they have been introduced. There has been no meaningful consultation with supporters’ groups, nor any clear or transparent explanation provided to justify such substantial changes. For a club that relies so heavily on the loyalty and commitment of its fanbase, this approach risks undermining trust at a critical time.
Football clubs are more than businesses; they are community institutions with deep cultural and social roots. Supporters are not simply customers, they are stakeholders whose voices deserve to be heard, especially on decisions that directly affect their ability to attend matches and support their team.
At a time when many supporters are already facing financial strain, imposing large price increases without engagement or justification sends the wrong message. It raises serious questions about accessibility, inclusivity, and the long-term relationship between the club and its fans.
Blues Trust calls on the club to:
- Provide a full and transparent explanation for the pricing decision;
- Engage in meaningful dialogue with supporters’ groups, including formal consultation mechanisms;
- Look again at the approach that has been adopted, with a view to protecting access for loyal fans.
We remain committed to working constructively with the club to ensure that supporters interests are properly represented. However, that requires openness, accountability, and a willingness to listen.
Supporters are the lifeblood of Birmingham City Football Club. Decisions of this magnitude should reflect that reality. Not disregard it.
Blues Trust
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Just saying what if we had got promoted to the prem ?. Just not on!.
Blues trust moaning, if it was left to these lot we would be in league 2 with the Chinese lot still owning us
I think you will find that it was only the Blues Trust that was trying to hold the chinese to account Dave. All football clubs need to be held to account and it was clear that they were trying to make price increases without any communication or consultation – despite what the OSC imply….
My seat is up about 12% seniors in main stand…£330 I paid £525 for the very same seat the year we was promoted 2002 ok that was an adult but, inflation since then would have made it to about £800.
£3.50 coffee on my way down to Brum and £3.50 back, with £3.00 drink at HT total is the same as the match…Fantastic value, thanks Blues, spend it wisely..
1 adult & 1 child in Arthur’s Area Upper gone from £395 to £530 – increase of 34% whilst leading with lines like:
– Keep football affordable
– Encourage the next generation of young fans
If you going to increase prices this much at least own the decision, explain the reasons and be transparent and publish a full grid of prices as in other years
Surely at £530 for the renewal (it will be more for new season ticket holders) that would be for an adult and child? Especially now that an adult can’t enter unless a accompanied by a child?
I don’t mind paying a bit more for my great seat in the Main Stand, but they really should upgrade the toilets there. Back to the fifties!
When Mr Wagner and Co took over our Club and revived it, he did say that he would ensure any increases are in line with UK inflation and try to help the working class where possible.
He also asked us to support and purchase where possible to ensure the Club goes in the right direction.
After a very poor Ownership previously, a lot of fans backed Mr Wagner’s request and bought Season Tickets, Club Shirts and Shop accessories and felt a part of something good.
Sadly these new prices ae no where near the UK Government inflation Rate and for my family, we are two seniors and a young adult, travelling over 200 miles each home game – these type of price increases may just put the cost out of our reach.
Very disappointing, given what was promised.
I agree with this.
The standpoint on the new stadium would be there would only be an inflationary difference from them starting to the day they announce season tickets in the new ground.
I do not see how that is possible. It’s not exaggerating to say that Tilton Adult to behind the goal at Knighthead will go from £400+ to around £700 on this current path.
So I’m curious how they make that a reality?
My senior ticket has gone up 3.4% and is still very cheap and superb value, I suppose it depends where you sit.
Interesting. My Senior ticket has risen by 28% in the Main Stand. Where is yours?
Just stop causing trouble and trying to stay relevant. The prices to watch our club will be fantastic value for the great investment from our owners. I expect the Mail will pick up on this claiming our supporters are up in arms over this which just is NOT TRUE. We will sell our season tickets. Thanks for the negativity Blues trust.
Slightly more than I thought it would be. But for a Senior “safe standing” ticket in the lower Tilton right behind the goal, then £13.75 per game is still a very reasonable price
I agree that there are areas/ages where the rises are reasonable, but my senior seat has been increased by more than 30%. Way above inflation. I do accept that the price per match is good but it’s not in line with comments earlier in the season about being “in line with inflation”. Shooting themselves in the foot.
Next seasons Senior ticket in the Lower Kop up by £78.00. on this seasons cost.
24% increase.
Very dissapointed .
I’ve got the shirts.
I’ve got the bovril.
A cup of hot water and a spoon of bovril.£3.
Not even any pepper.
Keep it up blues.
I can’t last much longer after 65 years of giving you my money
There is no mention of deals for families with the cost of living on the rise it will hit them hard bcfc need to address some oh the prices.Kro.
They have taken away the blue light card benefit also which will put a massive strain on peoples finance
If having to pay the 20% that non Blue Light holders have had to pay causes “massive strain on people’s finances” then those people really should not be buying a Season Ticket if they are that stretched. They have their priorities wrong
With the shorter renewal period this is clearer a cash grab to include the revenue in the 2025/26 accounts
The 22% increase to me as a senior is to price me out to be replaced with a ‘full-priced’ ST holder.
As we get closer Powerhouse there will be more large increases so that by the time we are Premier League we’ll be at comparable prices
The reality is that the finances of professional football clubs are only fit for the mad house. What other company would spend 80% of their income on (mostly players) wages? Yet that is the state these businesses are in, at least at some clubs (not sure about Blues). Just look at the prices that are being charged for the World Cup (ok, literally a different league I know).
I wonder if the person who said their ticket had gone up 3.4%have that correct. Mine has gone up 40% I am a senior supporter in the main stand. I have to say it still represents a reasonable amount per match, but that really is not the point. People who arent senior citizens and who have a family will find the cost outrageous. Todays , cost of living is hard enough to come to terms with. What about players wages taking a cut !!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what happens when you gamble on paying huge wages to new players and not addressing the real issue of poor management so subsequently we over spent to get promoted and failed ,so the fans pay for it!not so bad if we got in a top manager and have to pay his wages..
I remember Tom Wager saying that prices for tickets would only ever rise in line with inflation. Well I sit in the upper Kop corner by the Tilton. My seat as an OAP has substantially gone up above inflation. If they do this again next year I am likely to be priced out of going. Been watching Blues since 1968. KH are doing wonderful things for the club, which is great, but it is looking like the likes of me are not wanted anymore.
It takes some of the trust away for me. They say one thing but do another, a bit like Sullivan and Gold used to do. KRO
My Senior season ticket on Tilton is up by £30 from £285 to £315, an increase of 10.5%. At £13.70 a match, I think that’s still pretty good. My concern is not the actual cost, but the lack of consultation and the deviation from any commitment to link increase to inflation (if this is so). I think current inflation is lower, but it has been higher – you would need to know what it has been over the full year? The increase the previous year was also £30.
On a related matter, I don’t like the practice of adding a booking fee at the last stage of purchase either – the total is £319, not £315. If there is a £4 booking fee, this should be stated up front as it is part of the cost that can’t be opted out of. There was no booking fee last year. Why charge £4 for us to buy online doing the admin ourselves? What’s the booking fee if you go to the ticket office and the club has the cost of paying someone to do the transaction?
Surely at £530 for the renewal (it will be more for new season ticket holders) that would be for an adult and child? Especially now that an adult can’t enter unless a accompanied by a child?
I am a Senior with a seat in the Kop Upper and think my £395 ticket is great value, being £17 per game. At standard Adult price of £565 this is only £25 per game in the Kop Upper.
The total cost of my season ticket is the same as 6 or 7 meaningless Europa League games at the Villa.
I think the fans (and Supporters Trust) need to look at the total value of the season ticket over 23 games and not focus on the % increase. The fan experience is completely different to 3 years ago (when 25% of the ground was closed) and there is bound to be some additional cost.
That’s not what I was expecting at all, well above inflation, which it was promised they would be in line, so our 3.3 inflation for some reason become 28% inflation, depending on where you sit of course.
Once again loyalty counts for nothing.
The bridges being built could be seen as made from paper not steel.
What a shame.
What is even sadder is I will probably renew both my tickets.
I haven’t heard so much spin since the gullivans were here, still the 5th lowest in division, only £20 per game for many, look how fantastic the fan park is etc etc, well let’s not use the fan park, let’s not buy the food on offer, let’s see how that works with them.
I remember when we were told no dramatic price increases and Affordability for the fans !
After watching that horrendous boring, dull depressing football all season I’ll not be renewing. Do we think the 55 million spent to get nowhere has had an influence ? Decent manager would have got that squad top 6 easy. Davies should have gone before Christmas and most of us know it ! The only ones that don’t agree are the clubs ‘ Special Posters ‘ that arrived when they made the Rooney mistake
Get a serious manager and I’ll spend my money !
Thanks for doing this guys.. looking at the club as a whole I’m wondering if the supporters of the men’s game are heavily subsidising the ladies game? As good as the ladies have been, business is business and if it can’t support itself as an entity is it wise to prop it up?
If we are going to win promotion then we will have to compete with the teams coming down from the premiership
As long as the money is reinvested into the team
It’s basically pay up because we’ve got alot of fans on the waiting list that will pay it.
my view here is that while the rises are above inflation, the game to game price of a season ticket is still relatively cheap. That being said, given the current state of the world and cost of living crisis its going to be more than some can afford and will naturally have to prioritise other expenses. My concern here is the optics of it. To me it looks like the club know there is a waiting list of 14,000 wanting a season ticket so if someone don’t renew they know someone else will take the seat. What i would have liked to have seen is a price for renewal and another price for new season ticket holders. It don’t sit right with me that someone who say had a season ticket for 10 years now cant afford it, but someone who hasn’t bothered and is now on the waiting list due to recent success can swoop in and take that ticket for the same price. It may be the club will provide pricing for new season ticket holders in due course, but they should be up front about it so current season ticket holders feel valued for sticking with the club, especially those of us who have had season tickets prior to the new owners joining. Just my view, like i say, I am fortunate that i can renew but appreciate these rises may be just a stretch too far for some.