Liverpool FC and Merseyside Police seize £1.2m in crackdown on ticket touts

Liverpool Football Club and Merseyside Police have strengthened their efforts to tackle organised ticket touting, with more than £1.2 million in assets linked to illegal ticket sales detained so far.

The action has been led by Merseyside Police’s Economic Crime Team, working alongside Liverpool FC’s Investigations Team, and focuses on the laundering of criminal proceeds generated through illicit ticket sales.

A number of cases remain active under Proceeds of Crime legislation.

Three ticket-touting cases linked to Liverpool FC have also been brought during the past 12 months. Two have resulted in convictions, while another defendant is due to appear in court next month.

Money recovered through the operation will be divided between Merseyside Police and the Home Office.

The police investigation forms part of Liverpool FC’s wider crackdown on ticket touting, both online and around stadiums, as the club seeks to prevent supporters from being exploited, overcharged or targeted by fraudsters.

During the 2025/26 season, the club analysed almost 700,000 ticket registrations. It blocked or cancelled 67,663 suspected fake accounts, while a further 121,379 accounts remain under investigation.

Liverpool FC also issued 432 lifetime bans during the season. These included 383 All Red Members, 41 Season Ticket Holders and eight Seasonal Hospitality Members.

A further 115 supporters received indefinite suspensions, including 91 All Red Members and 24 Season Ticket Holders.

A lifetime ban permanently removes a person’s access to the club’s ticketing services. An indefinite suspension carries a minimum period, typically three years, after which the account holder must apply to be reinstated.

Those sanctioned have the right to appeal, followed by the right to take their case to the Independent Football Ombudsman.

The majority of bans and suspensions were issued for the unauthorised sale of season tickets, membership tickets or hospitality packages in breach of the club’s terms and conditions.

Liverpool FC also increased the number of investigators working on matchdays, contributing to a 33% rise in the number of burner phones identified. In some cases, people using the devices were denied entry to Anfield, while other phones were seized by Merseyside Police.

Targeted ticketing stops increased significantly during the season, rising from 381 in 2024/25 to 3,608 in 2025/26 — an increase of 847%.

The checks were carried out at Anfield, where there was an average of around 300 stops per home match, as well as at Premier League and European away fixtures.

A further 3,847 tickets were cancelled because of suspicious purchasing activity and placed back on general sale, making them available to genuine supporters.

Separate from the ticket-touting sanctions, 28 cases were investigated through Red Together, Liverpool FC’s long-term equality, diversity and inclusion programme.

The cases related to behavioural incidents at Anfield and resulted in sanctions ranging from indefinite suspensions to lifetime bans.

They included three cases involving racist or homophobic abuse, 13 concerning inappropriate touching or language, four involving assault and one relating to tragedy chanting.

Liverpool FC recently announced a series of ticketing changes for the forthcoming season following a comprehensive review. The club said it would continue to increase the resources dedicated to identifying and taking action against those involved in ticket-touting activity.

Cases are considered through Liverpool FC’s official sanctions process, which involves club officials and a representative from an independent supporters’ association. The panel determines the appropriate action, which can include a lifetime ban or indefinite suspension.

Supporters have been warned that anyone using a ticket that has not been forwarded in accordance with the club’s terms and conditions, or anyone found inside Anfield without a valid ticket, could be removed by stewards or police.

The club’s Ticket Forwarding service is the only authorised method for sharing a general admission ticket.

Season Ticket Holders and All Red Members who use burner phones to distribute tickets risk having their membership, season ticket and associated ticket access suspended or cancelled.

Liverpool FC has also urged fans not to purchase tickets through unofficial websites or sellers, warning that fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to deceive or extort supporters.

Here is a list of LFC’s official match break partners and the hospitality area they provide official tickets for.

Club research suggests that more than nine out of ten tickets advertised on unofficial websites either do not exist or are touted tickets that have been sold to several different buyers.

All general admission tickets for matches at Anfield should be purchased directly from Liverpool FC here.

Official hospitality can also be bought directly from the club or through its authorised match-break partners and approved sub-agents. Packages offered by these partners include genuine hospitality tickets alongside travel or at least one night’s hotel accommodation.

Supporters who encounter unofficial ticket sales or believe they have been targeted by ticket fraud are encouraged to report the matter to Liverpool FC here or Crimestoppers.

More information on the LFC official sanctions process is available here.