Spanish Football: How to Buy Tickets

As a Madridista, I’ve attended several La Liga matches in Spain. There are many ways to go about doing this; the primary and secondary markets both have pros and cons.

Primary Market: From the Club

If you’re simply looking for a ‘ticket to the dance’ and aren’t concerned with the seat location, then your best bet is to buy a ticket directly from the club. If you choose to buy a ticket from the club directly, there may be a few options available to you:

Online

Most clubs have an online ticket site, which will sell tickets a few weeks in advance of a match.

(+) Pros

• Price: Generally speaking, football clubs will offer tickets at or near face value, even for the most in-demand matches.

(-) Cons

• Availability: Buying tickets from the club’s website will be tricky. Generally speaking, only a limited number of tickets are released through this channel, and if it’s a high-demand match, it’s unlikely any will be sold here. Additionally, club members (socios) and supporters are given first dibs, so there aren’t many left by the time tickets hit the open market.

Stadium / Ticket Booth

You may have better luck stopping by the stadium or ticket booth the day of the match (or 2-3 days before).  If cannot attend the match, they are “required” to return their tickets to the club to be sold here. Socios often sell them through third party channels, especially for the more popular matches (Clasicos / Derbis).

(+) Pros

• Price: Generally speaking, football clubs will offer tickets at or near face value, even for the most in-demand matches.
• Reliability: While it can be more difficult to find a good seat through the club’s ticket office, it is the safest and most reliable way to get into a game.

(-) Cons

• Scheduling: Many clubs do not offer tickets to the general public until a few days before the match day. If you’re planning a trip to Spain weeks/months in advance, this may not be the best option for you.

Supporter Clubs / Peñas

Check your club’s site to see if they offer a supporter or Peña membership. For example, Real Madrid supporters can become a Madridista for 35 Euros per year and/or join a local Peña in their own country.

(+) Pros

• Priority: Many football clubs will allow supporter clubs (Peñas) to buy tickets after the Socios but before the general public.
• Price: Since these are official tickets offered through the club, you should expect to pay face value in lieu of the secondary market prices.

(-) Cons

• Speed: Buying tickets through a Peña can be an involved process, sometimes taking a few days or weeks to complete. If you need tickets quickly, this may not the best

Secondary Market: Online

StubHub and Viagogo

I’ve used a number of third party ticket sites, including StubHub and Viagogo. In recent years, both sites have received scrutiny (and threats) from UEFA and FIFA. Despite these threats made by the clubs and federations, StubHub and Viagogo continue to sell safe and reliable tickets to league matches.

(+) Pros

• Availability: These third party sites tend to have the largest ticket inventory.
• Seat Locations: If you want a premium seat (lover level, middle of the pitch), this may be the only place to do it.
• Electronic Tickets: Some tickets sold on these site offer online (PDF) or mobile (Apple Wallet) delivery. In my experience, the number of online tickets are much more limited than paper tickets.
• 100% Guarantee: Should there be any issues with the tickets, both sites guarantee your tickets for the match.

(-) Cons

• Ticket Delivery: Online ticket delivery is still quite rare in Spain, and as such, you may need to coordinate paper ticket delivery prior to the match. If you live abroad, this can make it even more difficult. Further, some clubs do not provide tickets to their season ticket holders; rather, they use their membership ID card to enter the match. In some cases, these members will give you their ID card the day before the match. Coordinating delivery through a bike courier can be incredibly challenging, unless you’re staying at a hotel with 24/7 front desk staff.
• Price: Ticket prices can be incredibly inflated on these sites (5-6 times face value). That said, if you’re picky about your seat, it may be worth the price.
• Customer Service: In my experience, Viagogo has been a more hassle-free site. Their prices tend to be more competitive than StubHub and their delivery methods are much more reliable (i.e. StubHub has missed several delivery deadlines with my orders).

Ticket Scalpers

I have never used a scalper in Europe, but I’ve been approached by many. Quite honestly, I’m not sure if these are legal in Spain (or anywhere else in the EU), so I recommend steering clear (especially if they’re selling these on/near stadium grounds). I can assure you this practice is not endorsed by the league / club, and many Socios risk losing their memberships if they’re caught selling tickets.