FA increases Wembley hospitality and free ticket spending for Council by 25%

The Football Association increased its spending on Wembley hospitality and free tickets for FA Council members by 25% last season. The governing body's latest accounts show expenditure of £564,400 during the 2025-26 campaign, a significant rise from the £452,300 recorded in the previous year.

• Spending on tickets and hospitality for the FA Council rose from £452,300 to £564,400 in one season.
• The cost of hosting FA Council meetings almost doubled, from £18,600 to £33,200.
• Council members can attend England and FA matches at Wembley free of charge with one guest.
• The FA says costs will keep rising due to the growing number of members in the honorary Fellowship scheme launched in 2017.

How much FA spending on Wembley hospitality went up

The 25% rise comes at a sensitive time for the relationship between clubs and their supporters. Recent seasons have seen protests and walkouts at grounds across England over ticket price increases. The cost-of-living crisis has made football increasingly unaffordable for many fans, while the FA has upgraded the hospitality it offers to VIP guests at the national stadium.

Liverpool's situation illustrates the wider discontent. The Anfield club abandoned plans to raise ticket prices over three successive seasons following strong supporter unrest at the end of last season. That decision stands in sharp contrast with the governing body's increased spending on premium seating and meals for officials.

Who sits on the FA Council and what benefits they receive

The FA Council is made up of more than 120 members and includes some of the most influential figures in English football. Among them are English Football League chairman Rick Parry, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Maheta Molango and senior Premier League executives.

Council members can attend England and FA matches at Wembley, including the FA Cup semi-finals and final, and bring one guest free of charge. They receive complimentary meals and drinks and sit in premium seats.

The Football Association's explanation for the spending increase

FA Council members are invited as our guests to the England matches and FA competitions that we host. They are just one of the groups invited to these fixtures, alongside others such as the competing clubs and any visiting national associations. The hospitality offering at these matches was updated over the past year to better reflect the hospitality offered by clubs and other football stakeholders, which has resulted in an increase in expenditure in this area.

An FA spokesperson defended the increase by framing it as part of a general upgrade of the service. The governing body says the improvement aims to bring its offering in line with what clubs and other football organisations already provide in their hospitality areas.

What it costs to host FA Council meetings

The bill for match tickets and catering is not the only thing that has gone up. The cost of hosting the Council's own meetings almost doubled in the latest accounting period, rising from £18,600 to £33,200. Much of that increase is also attributed to higher hospitality expenditure during those gatherings.

The honorary scheme that could push spending even higher

The FA accounts indicate that spending on tickets and hospitality is likely to keep rising because of the Fellowship of Council, an honorary membership scheme introduced in 2017. The programme allows members who have served on the FA Council for at least nine years to keep receiving free tickets, food and drinks even after stepping down.

FA company secretary Richard McDermott writes in the accounts that as the number of Fellowship members increases annually, the costs associated with match tickets and hospitality are likely to rise as well. The FA proposes introducing changes to Fellowship membership benefits so that from 2027 these costs start to come down.