Man Utd admit ticket touting investigation error

What the report says

Manchester United have acknowledged errors in how they carried out a ticket touting investigation, saying the process caused distress for some supporters and that they had underestimated how many fans shared account details. BBC Sport reported that the club began reviewing accounts last month after spotting activity they believed warranted closer scrutiny, including one case where 1,088 accounts were accessed from a single device.

The club said concerns raised at a fans forum on 30 July helped prompt a reassessment of the way the inquiry was handled. United now accept that some loyal supporters may have felt treated unfairly, while also saying they did not anticipate the scale of legitimate sharing of usernames and passwords among fans. The review threshold cited by the club was seven or more accounts accessed from one device during a period from March to June 2026.

United said restrictions have already been removed from a substantial number of accounts after satisfactory explanations were provided. They also stressed that season tickets will only be taken away where there is evidence of organised touting, systematic misuse or financial gain. The club maintains the underlying crackdown remains justified because ticket touting limits access for genuine fans.

BBC Sport has previously reported that thousands of supporters were affected by account restrictions. The issue matters because it highlights the tension between tackling ticket resale abuse and avoiding unintended consequences for ordinary fans who may share access for practical reasons.