Newcastle v Barcelona tickets bought by Dundee school

Newcastle United fans are experiencing extremely high demand for tickets to the Champions League home game against Barcelona at St James' Park. Over 110,000 users joined an online queue when remaining seats went on sale, highlighting the intense competition for access to the highly anticipated match.

Controversy has arisen after it was revealed that 45 tickets for the September 18 fixture were purchased by the High School of Dundee, located nearly 200 miles away. The school acquired the tickets through "an approved provider" rather than directly from the club. This has frustrated supporters, particularly as many local fans struggle to secure tickets despite paying annual membership fees.

Lisa Mole, chair of the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust, expressed that while the trust supports encouraging young fans to experience matches, the current ticketing situation is already problematic. She emphasized that seeing tickets go to those who are "not necessarily Newcastle supporters" adds to existing frustrations, especially after many members failed to secure tickets through the ballot system last season.

Newcastle United did not supply tickets directly to the school. A similar group of students from the same school attended Newcastle's previous Champions League match against AC Milan in 2023. The school stated that the Barcelona tickets were bought as part of a group package after being approached by an approved provider.

The situation reflects a broader phenomenon in football where tickets are sometimes obtained through secondary providers rather than directly from clubs. Even former Newcastle player David Burt, who works in sports sales and has never succeeded in the ballot as a fan, acknowledges the complexities of the ticketing landscape.