The West Ham United Fan Advisory Board (FAB) has formally raised serious concerns with the Club regarding ticketing and security arrangements for the upcoming Premier League fixtures against Arsenal and Leeds.
Both matches have been categorised at the highest pricing levels, and we are already receiving widespread reports that opposition supporters are successfully purchasing tickets in home areas.
This is not new.
Ahead of last season’s Arsenal fixture, identical concerns were raised, the same concerns were made the year before. The response from the Club was similar to what we have heard again this year — assurances around security, monitoring, and enforcement.
The outcome was also predictable:
Away supporters in home sections, flashpoints inside the stadium, and West Ham fans facing bans following confrontations that should never have been allowed to develop.
We feel the risk this time is greater.
There is a very real possibility that Arsenal could arrive at London Stadium in a position to secure or celebrate the league title. Allowing away supporters into home areas under those circumstances is not just poor planning — it is a foreseeable risk although we do understand that the Club are aiming for there to be no away supporters in home areas.
The Club has acknowledged to us that, despite their measures, away supporters may still gain access to home sections.
At the same time, tickets remain widely accessible, including via third-party platforms such as SeatPick and P1 Travel, and pricing has been increased to Category AA. The combination of high demand, excessively high prices, and open access creates the conditions for exactly the scenario we are trying to avoid.
We have proposed simple, preventative solutions:
Some of these measures have not been adopted, yet. We are told that there is an extended meeting between key safety and security staff at the Club and stadium today, Wednesday 15th April and will look forward to being updated in due course.
Supporters should be clear on this:
The risks associated with these fixtures have been raised in advance.
If incidents occur involving away fans in home sections, it will not be a surprise — it will be the result of choices that have been made.
We urge all supporters to prioritise safety, avoid confrontation, and report any issues through official channels on matchday.
Supporters deserve better than being priced out of their own ground while being asked to manage the consequences.
For the avoidance of doubt, the supporter representatives on the FAB are not asserting that incidents will occur, nor attributing intent to the Club. Our role is to represent supporter concerns and highlight foreseeable risks based on prior experience and current ticketing conditions.
We recognise and welcome the Club’s stated commitment to safety and the measures outlined. However, where risks have been clearly identified in advance, it is both reasonable and responsible for those concerns to be placed on record.
The supporter representatives on the FAB will continue to act in good faith, prioritising supporter safety and constructive dialogue with the Club.
On behalf of the supporter representatives on the FAB