How to get Ticketmaster presale tickets in the UK, step by step

To get Ticketmaster presale tickets, sign up before the sale starts. Make a free Ticketmaster account, register on the artist’s presale page, and join any other presale you qualify for, such as O2 Priority. On the day, sign in and join the queue up to 15 minutes early. Signing up gets you in, but it does not promise a ticket.

For the bigger picture, read the guide to gig tickets, or browse upcoming shows on the concerts page.

What is a Ticketmaster presale?

A Ticketmaster presale is an early sale for a smaller group of fans, held before the general sale, which is when tickets go on sale to everyone. Ticketmaster is usually just the seller. The presale itself may be run by the artist, a venue, a phone network, a bank or a promoter, the company putting on the tour.

Live Nation says presale tickets are the same as general sale tickets, just released earlier. So a presale is not a discount. O2 says its Priority tickets cost the same as other tickets, with no extra charge for buying early.

You do not need a presale for every show. Many gigs still have tickets at the general sale. Presales are best for big tours, where seats may go before the sale opens to everyone. For how sales work from start to finish, see the guide to UK concert tickets.

Which presales can you join in the UK?

UK presales fall into three groups: ones any fan can join, ones for customers of a company, and ones for invited fans. This table shows who can join each one and whether it uses a code.

Two promoters also run their own lists. Cuffe and Taylor and Gigs in Scotland both ask you to register on their websites.

How do you get Ticketmaster presale tickets, step by step?

You get Ticketmaster presale tickets by preparing before the sale, then following the email link on the day. Do these steps in order:

1. Create a Ticketmaster account. It is free. Verify your email and phone, then save your address and payment details.
2. Favourite your artists on the website. Favourite artists, teams and venues to get presale emails. Ticketmaster says favourites made in the app do not trigger them.
3. Sign up to the artist’s presale as soon as a tour is announced, because the sign-up closes before the sale.
4. Join every other presale you qualify for, using the table above.
5. Note each start time and watch your inbox. For artist presales, Ticketmaster emails a link the day before.
6. Use the link in the email. Ticketmaster says presales can very rarely be reached through its main site.
7. Join the queue up to 15 minutes early, signed in, on one device and one browser.
8. Choose your seats. If you see “Sorry, no exact matches were found”, try the Best Available filter or ask for fewer tickets.

How do you register for a Ticketmaster presale?

To register for a Ticketmaster artist presale, go to the artist’s presale sign-up page and sign in. Tick the shows you want, check the dates and locations, and confirm. You should then see a confirmation page listing your presales, and you can change your choices until the window closes.

Signing up only lets you into the presales you ticked. Going to several dates? Tick each one.

Where do you find a Ticketmaster presale code?

A Ticketmaster presale code usually comes from whoever runs the presale, not from Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster says it only provides codes for Live Nation and Ticketmaster presales or offer codes. Its artist presales use no code at all, because access is linked to your account.

• Fan clubs: the club sends the code. Codes are case sensitive, so type capital letters exactly as shown. The club’s activation email can take 7 to 10 business days, so join early.
• Album or merchandise pre-orders: the label usually sends any code, and its contact details are in your order email.
• Verified Fan: if you are selected, you get a purchase link and unique code between 12 and 24 hours before the presale.
• Other ticket sellers: if another company runs the sale, you may get a code by email the night before.

If a code fails, contact the company that sent it. Even a valid code does not promise a ticket, because the seats may already have sold.

How do O2 Priority and other customer presales work?

O2 Priority is a free rewards service for O2 mobile and Virgin Media broadband customers aged 16 or over. It lets you buy tickets up to 48 hours before general release, for shows at The O2, the O2 Academy venues and other UK venues. Virgin Mobile customers are not eligible.

• How to buy: open the Tickets section of the Priority app or website, and it links you to the seller, such as Ticketmaster or AXS.
• Stock: each event has a limited number of Priority Tickets. If they sell out, you can still try the general sale.
• AXS events: the waiting room for Priority Tickets opens 30 minutes before the sale.
• Not with O2? Ticketmaster says O2 Priority presales are only open to its own customers, so you cannot use a friend’s link.

O2 Priority is best for people already with O2. It is rarely worth changing network for one show.

Other companies run similar schemes. OVO Live, which used to be SSE Reward, gives energy customers early access at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. That is the place to look for SSE tickets presale news. Co-op Members get presales at Co-op Live in Manchester.

How do American Express presale tickets work?

Amex Presale Tickets are an early sale for people with an eligible American Express card, as part of American Express Experiences, the company’s entertainment programme. Partners include AEG, which runs BST Hyde Park, All Points East and The O2 arena.

• Who qualifies: consumer and business cards issued by American Express in the UK. Corporate cards, prepaid cards and cards issued by other banks do not qualify.
• Who sells them: a separate ticket seller, not American Express, so that seller’s rules on fees and refunds apply.
• Limits: tickets depend on availability, and not every seat may be offered.
• Real examples: Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo both had American Express presales.

Other card brands do this too. U2’s UK sale has a Visa Presale, which needs a Visa payment method. These presales are best if you already hold the card, because a new card for one tour is rarely worth it.

How do Spotify presale tickets work?

Spotify presale tickets come through Fans First, a Spotify programme that emails offers to listeners its data shows are an artist’s top fans. You cannot apply for one. Fans First offers are open to everyone with a Spotify account, so you do not need Premium.

• Check your settings: in your account’s notification settings, opt in to Artist Updates emails, and make sure your email address is correct.
• Buying: Spotify does not process the purchase. The email links to the ticket company, which handles codes, delivery and refunds.
• Reserved by Spotify: this is a separate offer for Premium users in the US and Canada, so it does not apply to UK fans.

Spotify’s community moderators say not every fan will receive an offer, so treat it as a bonus, not a plan.

How do Live Nation and Verified Fan presales work?

Live Nation presales work through a free My Live Nation account. Register on the Live Nation website, then log in at the start time, when the ticket option should appear. You do not need a code if you are registered and logged in.

Ticketmaster says your Ticketmaster sign-in also works for Live Nation, while Live Nation’s own help page says to register separately. So check that you can sign in to both before the sale.

What is Ticketmaster Verified Fan?

Ticketmaster Verified Fan is a sign-up for high-demand tours. You fill in a form for that tour, and successful fans get a link and a unique code. For Oasis Live ’27, Ticketmaster says fans were randomly selected, and the account email had to match the one used to register. Registering does not promise you a code.

What is a Ticketmaster Ticket Request?

A Ticket Request is a way of asking for tickets instead of competing in a first-come, first-served sale. Ticketmaster’s help centre has a Ticket Request page for Ariana Grande, for example.

1. Request: pick your shows and ticket type, then enter your card details during the window. Ticketmaster may take a temporary £1 authorisation.
2. Wait: the event organiser shares out the tickets after the window closes.
3. Hear back: an email tells you the result, and your card is charged only for what you are given.

Be careful with several dates. If you request five shows, you could be charged for all five. All sales are final.

How does the Ticketmaster queue work?

The Ticketmaster queue is a virtual waiting line that you join before a busy sale opens. It uses security checks to spot bots, and tickets are sold first come, first served. Join the waiting room up to 15 minutes before the sale, because joining after it opens puts you at the back.

• One device, one browser: moving to a new device or browser sends you to the back of the line.
• Do not refresh: stay on the page. On a phone, it refreshes by itself when you enter the queue.
• Volume up: you will hear a notification when it is your turn.
• Selfie check: some fans are asked for one. Finish it in the waiting room before the sale opens and you keep your place.
• No skipping: the queue cannot be skipped.
• Checkout timer: once you hold tickets, a timer limits how long you have to pay, so have your card ready.

Timings vary by sale. U2’s own FAQ suggests joining about 30 minutes early, so always read the instructions for your event.

What are the most common presale mistakes?

The most common presale mistakes are signing up too late, using the wrong link and treating a sign-up as a ticket.

• Missing the window: artist sign-ups can close days before the sale, so sign up as soon as a tour is announced.
• Favouriting only in the app: this does not trigger presale emails.
• Going to the main site: use the link in your email, and check your spam folder.
• Using another email address: sign in with the account you used to register.
• Buying for friends with no plan: sales set limits, such as four tickets for U2. Agree who is buying before you start.

What can you do if you miss the presale?

If you miss the presale, the general sale is your next step. Ticketmaster says that if you do not get presale access, you can still buy during the general sale, and O2 says the same about Priority Tickets.

If the general sale sells out too, look at resale, where fans sell tickets they cannot use. The Ticketmaster resale guide explains how it works, and the guide to resale tickets in the UK compares the options.

Can disabled fans use presales?

Yes. Disabled fans can use presales, and venues can help if the online sale does not work for you. Live Nation says to log in, click through to the seller and use the Accessible Tickets icon. The Brighton Centre, for example, aims to open its Access Line when a presale starts, but you still need to sign up in advance.

What to do now (as of 31 October 2026)

As of 31 October 2026, the next big UK presale to watch is U2, who play Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 June 2027. Sign-up for the artist presale closed at 10.59pm on Sunday 1 November, UK time, so if you missed it, the Visa Presale and the general sale are the sales still ahead of you.

Whichever tour you want next, these three jobs take a few minutes and work for every sale:

1. Set up your Ticketmaster account and save your payment details.
2. Favourite your artists and venues on the website, not just in the app.
3. Join the mailing lists of the venues you go to most.