New UK law set to target ticket touts ahead of Euro 2028 in major government crackdown

The UK Government is preparing to introduce tough new anti-touting laws ahead of Euro 2028, in a move aimed at protecting supporters from soaring resale prices and ticket scams.

With major concerns continuing around affordability at global sporting events, ministers want to ensure fans attending tournaments in the UK and Ireland are not priced out by profiteering resellers.

UK want crackdown on ticket touting by Euro 2028

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is drawing up plans that would make the unauthorised resale of tickets for major sporting events a criminal offence, per reports.

The proposals are expected to play a key role ahead of Euro 2028, which will be staged across the UK and Ireland, with the Government keen to ensure more tickets are sold directly to supporters at face value rather than ending up on resale markets for inflated prices.

The plans build on legislation already backed by the Scottish Parliament through the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill, which bans unauthorised ticket sales above face value or with the intention of making a profit. The measures would also outlaw unauthorised street trading and advertising linked to the tournament.

The DCMS say the crackdown forms part of a wider strategy to strengthen the UK’s ability to host future major sporting events, including potential bids for the Olympics in the 2040s, the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup in the 2030s, and the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the Government wants to continue attracting the world’s biggest sporting events while ensuring fans can enjoy the economic and social benefits they bring.

FGG says: This could be a major win for UK football fans

At a time when supporters are being hammered by rising ticket, travel and accommodation prices, particularly ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America, this feels like a rare example of authorities trying to protect fans rather than squeeze every last penny from them.

The upcoming World Cup has already faced criticism over extortionate transport costs, premium hospitality packages and resale prices spiralling into the thousands.

Against that backdrop, making ticket touting a criminal offence ahead of Euro 2028 sends a much stronger message about accessibility and fairness.

No system will completely eliminate touting, but limiting industrial-scale resale operations and keeping more tickets at face value would be a major win for ordinary supporters.

For many fans, especially families and younger supporters, attending a major tournament is already expensive enough without competing against bots and exploiters, too.