Fans of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Everton will come together this Sunday to protest against rising ticket prices.
Demonstrations are set to take place outside both Old Trafford and Anfield, focusing on increasing ticket prices and broader financial pressures facing football fans.
Ticket Price Hikes Spark Outrage
The protest comes in the wake of a controversial move by Manchester United to raise ticket prices to £66 and abolish concessions for the remainder of the season.
This decision, announced alongside the Premier League’s announcement of a 17% increase in broadcast revenues to £12.25 billion, has drawn sharp criticism.
Organisers argue that clubs are prioritising profits over the affordability of the game for working-class supporters.
Further concerns have arisen over attempts to push the boundaries of the £30 cap on away tickets in the Premier League.
Fans are warning that without intervention, rising costs could alienate the very communities that have been the backbone of the sport for generations.
🚨 This feels big: Fans of Manchester United and Everton and Liverpool and Manchester City will join forces to protest against rising ticket prices at Old Trafford and Anfield this weekend. More @MailSport shortly.
— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) November 28, 2024
Protests Set for Anfield and Old Trafford
At Old Trafford, Manchester United supporters’ group FC58 will be joined by travelling Everton fans for a demonstration at the Trinity Statue.
Banners reading “Stop Exploiting Loyalty” will underline their shared frustration at being priced out of the game they love.
Later in the day, Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly will stand alongside Manchester City’s 1894 and MCFC Fans Foodbank Support outside Anfield’s foodbank collection point near the Kop.
Nick Clarke of MCFC Fans Foodbank Support hailed the collaboration as a breakthrough, particularly given the animosity that has grown between City and Liverpool fans in recent years.
“Tribalism holds football fans back from addressing the real threats to the game we built,” he said. “Working-class fans are being priced out before our eyes. We can reverse this trend.”
Spirit of Shankly spokesperson Gareth Roberts echoed these sentiments, calling on clubs to respect the loyalty that has sustained their success.
“Raising prices when financial pressures on fans are at an all-time high is an insult,” he said. “This is about fairness and protecting the future of football.”
Everton Fans Supporting Foodbanks co-founder Dave Kelly highlighted the wider cost-of-living crisis.
“With children going to school hungry, parents skipping meals, and the cost of match tickets out of reach for many, this isn’t about rivalries. It’s about the future of the beautiful game.”
🚨🤝 Man United, Everton, Liverpool and Man City fans will join forces to protest against rising ticket prices at Old Trafford and Anfield this weekend, reports @MikeKeegan_DM. pic.twitter.com/7ogR1DMxbx
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 28, 2024
#StopExploitingLoyalty Campaign Gains Momentum
The protests form part of the Football Supporters’ Association’s (FSA) #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign. Thomas Concannon of the FSA praised the collaboration, saying,
“To see supporters from rival clubs stand together to deliver this message is amazing and shows just how strongly fans feel.”
The organisers see Sunday’s protests as the beginning of a broader movement.
An FC58 spokesperson called the collaboration a “first step” and expressed hope for continued unity among fans. “This movement will grow,” they stated.
