‘Football without fans is nothing,’ the great Celtic manager Jock Stein once said.
Looking at the state of modern matchday prices, which are pricing out droves of loyal supporters, those words have rarely felt truer.
New data has revealed that it could cost £5,000 to follow the most expensive team in the Premier League this season home and away – and that’s a conservative estimate.
The unlucky fanbase is that of Bournemouth, whose followers would have to shell out £4,911.61 to watch them home and away this coming campaign without a season ticket. That includes extortionate train costs, plus a pie and two pints at every game, and a replica kit.
The second and third-most expensive are Sunderland and Newcastle – all three place so high because of their extreme geographies, meaning the travel costs rack up.
By contrast, the cheapest club to follow would be Brentford with a season ticket, but that still comes to £2,827.26 when you price in travel, grub, and alcoholic fare.
The costliest ‘Big Six’ team to follow is Arsenal, who are the fourth-most expensive club to watch with or without a season ticket.
Bournemouth are the most expensive team to follow in the Premier League if you factor in ticket costs, travel prices, food and drink, and a jersey
Tracking the Gunners home and away would set you back £3,748.56 with a season ticket and £4,349.06 without – the sort of money Bukayo Saka earns in two-and-a-half hours.
By comparison, the other ‘Big Six teams’ are quite cheap to follow.
While Tottenham’s ticket prices are second only to Arsenal, overall they are the ninth-most-dear team to follow thanks to London’s national train connections.
Meanwhile, Manchester United come in 12th, Liverpool are 14th, Chelsea rank 16th, and Manchester City place 17th, arguably showing a stronger value for money.
Only Coventry, Leeds, and Brentford would be cheaper to follow as a whole package than City, who will set back fans £3,059.22 with a season ticket and £3,424.22 without.
Alright, then, you ask, where can I fill my stomach the cheapest?
The answer to that is Hull, where a pie costs a reasonable £3 – 20 pence cheaper than their nearest competitors in Hull City.
Every other club will charge you over £4, most will hit you for more than £5, and Arsenal have the audacity to demand £8.85, according to last season’s menu.
Being one of Arsenal’s victorious supporters comes at a price – they’ve got the costliest tickets in the Premier League
If you’re looking to wet your whistle with a couple of beers, it’s Ipswich where you can do that on the cheap, for just £3.50.
Coventry (£3.60) and Hull (£.90) are the next-cheapest, though they could raise their fares for the coming campaign.
Arsenal are once again the culprits in this department, asking their supporters for £6.80 per pint, though most things do cost more in London generally.
It wouldn’t be right to follow your team home and away without a little bit of merchandise, so how about a replica men’s shirt for the 2026-27 campaign?
You’re in luck, Hull faithful, as your kits come out the most affordable at £64. Ipswich, Brentford, and Crystal Palace trail closely on £65.
Tottenham – whose performances in recent seasons few people would actually want to replicate – are the most expensive to imitate in the stands.
They have the brass neck to ask for £90 for a replica kit, though Chelsea are hot on their heels at £89.99.
Overall, the average cost of following your club with a season ticket, with trains, pints, pies, and a replica kit thrown in, costs £3,450.56 in the Premier League.
Brentford are the cheapest team to follow, partly thanks to London’s good transport links
Doing so without a season ticket – which, in fairness, few people would do in totality – raises that financial sacrifice to £3,902.44.
It is little wonder that we see regular protests against clubs’ ticket prices, and similarly constant grumblings about the cost of rail travel in this country.
Fans are gouged another £730 if they sign up to every broadcasting platform available in the United Kingdom to watch Premier League games – and that doesn’t even give you access to every game.
In Singapore, viewers are able to watch all 380 matches on Premier League + for a monthly payment of £25.
Where would football be without the fans, eh?
