The Football Association spent 25% more on Wembley hospitality and freebies for FA Council members last season, the Guardian can reveal. Latest accounts show expenditure on tickets and hospitality rose from £452,300 in the 2024-25 season to £564,400 in 2025-26. While fans across the country have staged protests and walkouts in recent years over ticket price rises, and the cost-of-living crisis has made football increasingly unaffordable, the FA has upgraded the hospitality it offers to VIPs.
Liverpool scrapped plans to increase ticket prices over three successive seasons following widespread unrest from supporters at the end of last season. There are more than 120 FA Council members, including some of the most influential figures in the game, such as the English Football League chair, Rick Parry, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, Maheta Molango, and senior Premier League executives. FA Council members can attend England and FA Cup matches – including the FA Cup semi-finals and final – held at Wembley and bring one guest free of charge.
They receive complimentary meals and drinks, and sit in premium seats. The hospitality offering at these matches was updated over the past year to better reflect the hospitality offered by clubs and other football stakeholders, which has resulted in an increase in expenditure in this area.” The accounts indicate ticket and hospitality costs are likely to increase further due to the Fellowship of Council, an honorary membership scheme introduced in 2017. It allows members who have served on the FA Council for at least nine years to continue receiving free tickets, food and drinks even after stepping down.
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