Manchester United membership: which one to buy and how it works

A Manchester United membership costs £37.50 a season for Official, £70 for Premium, £20 for Under 16 and £30 for Forwarding in 2026/27. You need Premium, Official or Under 16 to buy a home ticket, because Premier League seats at Old Trafford are sold only to members. For most fans, Official is the right choice.

Every home fixture, and how it is being sold, is on the Manchester United tickets page.

What is a Manchester United membership?

A Manchester United membership is a paid plan for one season that lets you buy home tickets and gives you some club discounts. It is not a ticket, and it does not promise you a seat.

Manchester United plays in the Premier League, England’s top division. Its home is Old Trafford, a stadium in Greater Manchester that holds 74,158 people, according to the Premier League Handbook for 2026/27. Demand is so high that league games are never sold to the general public.

Membership benefits start on 1 July every season, so a membership bought today covers the rest of 2026/27. If you join late in the season, you get fewer games for the same price.

A membership does not include a match ticket, a seat, away tickets or cup finals. Think of it as the key to the shop, not the goods inside.

How much is a Manchester United membership?

A Manchester United membership costs from £20 to £70 a season in 2026/27, depending on the type. Here is how the four compare, using the club’s own membership page:

The price is for the season, not per month. The club’s help page mentions paying by Direct Debit, so check your options when you buy. As of 31 October 2026, the club’s membership page shows no discount code.

Is Premium worth it over Official?

Premium is worth it over Official if a season ticket is your long-term aim, because it is the only type with first priority for new season tickets. It can also pay off if you would use the extras anyway. The club values MUTV access at £29.99, and the United Store voucher is £20. If you only want a game or two, Official does the same job for tickets.

The voucher comes by email at least two weeks after you buy, so keep an eye on your inbox.

What is in the Manchester United membership pack?

The Manchester United membership pack is a set of gifts that comes with some memberships, and it depends on age and type. Under 16 packs are optional, and Premium members can add a Premium Merch Pack.

• Age 0 to 1: a photo frame, a certificate and a lunch bag.
• Age 1 to 4: a boot bag, a certificate, a mini football, a door hanger and stickers.
• Age 5 to 10: a flag, a boot bag, a mini football, a certificate and stickers.
• Age 11 to 15: a “Red Devils” scarf, a crest keyring and a boot bag.
• Premium: gloves, a tech pouch, an A5 notebook, a pen, a beanie and a pin badge.

Packs go out around August, or as soon as they are ready if you join later. UK delivery takes up to five days from dispatch, and overseas delivery can take 28 days. Track yours at manutd.com/packtrack with your membership number. Under 16 packs are bigger, so someone must be in to accept them.

Do you need a membership to buy Manchester United tickets?

Yes, you need a Premium, Official or Under 16 membership to buy a normal Manchester United league ticket. The club sells home tickets only on tickets.manutd.com and through its two travel partners. Without a ticket-buying membership, you have three routes:

• Hospitality: a ticket with food and drink, sold game by game by the club.
• A travel package: a ticket with a hotel or travel, from Champions Travel or Travel Connection.
• A forwarded ticket: a season ticket holder sends you their seat for one game. You need at least a Forwarding membership.

The guide to how to get Manchester United tickets ranks every route by your real chance.

How many tickets can you buy with a Manchester United membership?

A Manchester United member can buy one ticket per game, so each person in a family or group needs their own membership. You buy online and pick your seat from the stadium plan, with your membership number to hand.

The ticket price is on top of the membership. It depends on the category, a price band set by the opponent:

Prices by age and stand are in the guide to Manchester United ticket prices.

What does a first game cost with a membership?

A first game costs your membership plus your ticket, and you pay the membership only once a season. These are the published figures, one by one:

• Official Membership for an adult: £37.50 a season.
• Under 16 Membership for a child: £20 a season.
• Adult ticket for a Category C game: from £44.
• United Review, the match programme: £4.

After that first game, each extra game costs only the ticket. A membership card is not needed at the turnstile, because your ticket is on your phone.

How many games can you realistically see?

A new Manchester United member can realistically see a Category B or C league game, and perhaps more than one. As of 31 October 2026, the members’ sale is open for nine league games, so seats can be bought today.

The three ballot games are much harder. Manchester United publishes no ballot odds. Its 2026/27 ticketing update says it will publish ticketing data on its website again, so firmer numbers may follow.

Members also get three other chances:

• Returned seats: tickets that holders and members cannot use. They list them in the app, generally until two weeks before the match, and the club resells them to members only.
• Champions League and cup games: home sales are set after each draw. The Champions League home games went on sale on 29 August 2026.
• Supporters’ clubs: official local fan groups share 1,000 tickets per home game. These help most if you live far from Manchester.

Domestic away games and cup finals are different. The club says those tickets are not available to Official members.

How do you join Manchester United as a member?

You join Manchester United online at tickets.manutd.com/memberships, and it takes one account and one payment. Do these steps in order:

1. Register. Create an account on the ticketing website if you do not have one.
2. Pick your membership. Choose it on the memberships page and follow the steps on screen.
3. Buying for a child? Log in and select “Buy Now” under Under 16. Use the red “Change” pencil icon to assign it to the child, then pay.
4. Keep your membership number handy. You need it to buy tickets.
5. Get the app. Download the Manchester United app and log in with the same details. All match tickets live there.
6. Sign up to Ticket Alerts, so you hear when each sale or ballot opens.

Coming from abroad? You can join from overseas, and the club says it pays VAT on packs up front, so you should not be charged extra. All tickets are in the app, though. If the app is not available in your country, the club says you will not be able to attend. Check that first.

Living far from Manchester? Look for an official supporters’ club near you. The club lists 362 of them in 95 countries.

What is a Manchester United Forwarding membership?

A Manchester United Forwarding membership is a £30 plan for fans who only want to receive tickets forwarded by season ticket holders. A forwarded ticket is one a holder sends you when they cannot go.

Forwarding members cannot buy or apply for tickets, and the plan has no other benefits. The club says you receive the forwarded ticket at no extra cost.

Here is how it works in practice. The holder forwards the ticket in the app or on the ticketing website, any time up to kick-off. It then appears in your own Manchester United app, ready to add to your wallet.

• Best for: someone with a friend or relative who holds a season ticket and passes on games often.
• Not worth it if: you want to buy even one ticket yourself. Official costs a little more and can buy.

How do you log in, upgrade or cancel a Manchester United membership?

You log in to your Manchester United membership at tickets.manutd.com, and the same details work in the app. If you are not sure you have an account, try resetting your password. An existing account will send you a reset email.

• Upgrading: you cancel your membership and buy a new one. There is no simple switch.
• Cancelling: you must phone +44 161 676 7770. Any tickets on that membership are cancelled too, and your benefits end.
• Automatic renewal: hover over your name, select “Memberships”, choose one, then “Manage Auto Renewal”. Check this after you join.
• Changing your card: the same “Manage Auto Renewal” screen lets you add a new card.

Need to talk to someone? Supporter Services is on 0161 676 7770, from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. On matchdays the lines open at 9am or five hours before kick-off, whichever is later. You can also visit in person at car park W2 at Old Trafford, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, on non-matchdays.

Lost your phone or bought a new one? Your tickets are tied to your device, so call the same number or email tickets@manutd.co.uk to move them.

Is a Manchester United membership worth it?

A Manchester United membership is worth it if you want a normal seat at a league game, because there is no other way to buy one. Official at £37.50 is enough for almost everyone.

• First-timers: buy Official, then pick a Category B or C game.
• Families: each adult needs Official or Premium, and each child needs Under 16 at £20. Link your child’s account and their ticket appears on your phone.
• Groups: every person needs their own membership, because it is one ticket per member.
• Disabled fans: the club has dedicated areas and gives carers free tickets, according to its Club Charter. Email accessibility@manutd.co.uk for help.
• Season ticket hopefuls: Premium at £70 is the only type with first priority. The Manchester United season ticket guide explains why.
• Not worth it if: you are a tourist with one fixed date, because the game you want may be a ballot game. A travel package or hospitality may suit you better. The same goes if you only want away trips or a cup final.

What mistakes should you avoid with a Manchester United membership?

The main Manchester United membership mistakes are buying the wrong type and leaving the app until matchday.

• Buying Forwarding to get tickets. It cannot buy anything.
• Sharing one membership. Two people need two memberships.
• Upgrading after you buy tickets. Cancelling also cancels them, so choose Premium first if you want it.
• Using an old phone. You need NFC, the tap-to-pay technology. iPhones need iOS 15 or above, and most Android phones from 2017 onwards work.
• Relying on a screenshot. Screenshots do not work at the turnstile.

What do members need on matchday at Old Trafford?

Manchester United members need a charged smartphone on matchday, because the ticket is an NFC pass, a digital ticket you tap to get in. Add it to your Apple or Google wallet before you leave, then tap your phone at the turnstile, the entry gate.

• Getting there: Old Trafford is on Sir Matt Busby Way, postcode M16 0RA. The Old Trafford tram stop is within a five-minute walk.
• Travelling from elsewhere in the UK? Take a train to Manchester Piccadilly, then a taxi of about 15 minutes.
• Bags: the limit is 20cm x 15cm x 5cm, far smaller than A4. A bag drop costs £5.
• Your seat: the Old Trafford seating plan guide explains each stand.

What to do now (as of 31 October 2026)

As of 31 October 2026, the Manchester United members’ sale is open and three ballots are running. Do this first: join, then enter the Liverpool ballot before 8am on Wednesday 11 November.

If the club’s routes are closed to you for a game, resale listings with live prices sit beside each fixture on the Manchester United tickets page.