Newcastle vs. Barca: Scottish school causes ticket trouble
Newcastle is eagerly awaiting their Champions League opener against Barcelona, but a ticket package for a school in Scotland is causing frustration.
Many Newcastle fans don't want to miss the Barca game—but they can't get tickets. IMAGO/News Images
When Newcastle United were allowed to participate in the Champions League for the first time in 21 years in 2023/24, the adventure ended in an unfortunate end: In a difficult group featuring Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan, the Magpies topped the table after two matchdays, but ultimately finished last and thus weren't even relegated to the Europa League. This makes the anticipation for the new Champions League season all the greater – but not for all fans.
Ahead of the opening match next Thursday (9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) against FC Barcelona, many who had hoped in vain for a ticket to the most spectacular home game of the league phase are frustrated. More than 100,000 applicants were reportedly in the virtual queue on Tuesday when members were able to purchase tickets. Some students from Dundee, Scotland, had it easier.
45 tickets went to the local high school, and many Newcastle fans are wondering why. "The High School of Dundee was approached by an approved provider, and the tickets were purchased as part of a group package," a spokesperson for the school said. A letter circulating on social media reveals that each of the 45 students must pay the equivalent of €341 for the ticket, bus fare, dinner, and overnight accommodation with breakfast.
It remains unclear which "authorized provider" distributed these tickets and why at least one school from the region wasn't selected. The Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) expressed "complete" understanding for the fans' frustration, especially since third-party sellers have long been offering tickets for the Barca game at exorbitant prices. NUST wrote to X that it is pressing for a response from the club – so far without success.
"Something like this just adds fuel to the fire""There's such a consensus right now about how bad the ticket situation is that something like this just adds fuel to the fire," the BBC quoted NUST chairwoman Lisa Mole as saying. Initially, season ticket holders had the opportunity to purchase tickets for all home league games. The remainder was partly raffled off and partly made available for general sale to members and those season ticket holders who didn't want to purchase a ticket package. "It hurts them to see that people who aren't necessarily Newcastle fans are given the opportunity to attend such a high-profile game," Mole said.
St. James' Park seats around 52,000 spectators. The club, which recently hired Nick Woltemade, is already considering how to expand capacity in the future—possibly even with a new arena.
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