Nottingham Forest has been asked to better engage with fans after a spat over Europa League ticket prices prompted a U-turn.
The Reds are due to play their biggest game in Europe in 30 years on Thursday (March 12) as they face Danish club FC Midtjylland in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie at the City Ground.
However, the price of a ticket, which started between £50 and £70 for adults, led to widespread criticism, with stadium seats left unsold ahead of the big European night by the banks of the River Trent.
On Tuesday (March 10), the club reduced the price by £10 for season card holders and MyForest Members.
It then announced a further reduction for those supporters on Wednesday (March 11) morning in a bid to “keep prices affordable for our loyal fanbase”. This move slashed prices to between £15 and £30 for adult season ticket holders and club members.
Then, on Wednesday afternoon, ticket prices for all supporters were slashed. For general sale, adult tickets will start from £25 for zone four, rising to £40 for zone one.
Nottingham City councillor Steve Battlemuch, a long-time fan of the club and member of the Nottingham Forest Supporters Trust, said:
“We’ve got to recognise we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, and asking people to pay between £50 and £70 for a ticket, when other clubs in the Champions League are charging £45 for a game, I think made a lot of people think they could not afford it.”
Nottingham Forest Supporters Trust conducted a ticket consultation survey last week, which attracted the thoughts of almost 2,000 fans.
The organisation said the Europa League pricing was the “single most discussed issue”.
For season card holders and MyForest members, senior tickets for the match are now priced at £12 to £25, youth tickets are £10 to £20, and for children, it is £5 to £15.
Season card holders and MyForest members who had already purchased tickets at the higher price will receive a refund.
For general sale, senior tickets are now priced at £20 for zone four, rising to £35 for zone one. Youth tickets start at £15, rising to £30 in zone one, and a child ticket starts at £10, rising to £25 for zone one.
“This is an encouraging step, and we hope it signals a willingness to continue engaging constructively with supporters on pricing as we approach the 2026/27 season,” the trust said.
Mr Battlemuch called on the club for “a lot more two-way engagement, the club listening to what fans are saying and reflecting on that before they make decisions.”
“I’m a long-standing fan, and I know we are hamstrung by the fact we only have 30,000 seats. For Premier League games they fill those seats, and many of those games are sold out,” he added.
“So the club being back in the Premier League are probably thinking, well, there’s a lot of demand here.
“But when you get to the Europa League and you are charging £50 to £70 to everybody.
“The last game we had didn’t sell out; there were 5,000 empty seats, and this is now a further game, a round of 16, a major game in the club’s history for 30 years, and there were 10,000 to 12,000 seats unsold.
“I am glad they have done it. I think they should have done it earlier. I hope it is not too little, too late. There needs to be a reflection on ticket prices overall and what is affordable in the city.”
In a statement released earlier today, the club said: “We are deeply committed to keeping prices affordable for our loyal fanbase and ensuring matches are as accessible as possible for supporters of all ages.
“The atmosphere at the City Ground under the lights is always special, and we want the stadium to be as full as possible on Thursday evening.
“As our Head Coach Vítor Pereira recently said: ‘Our supporters can be the difference between winning and losing’.
“With this in mind, we have listened to the feedback from our fans and we have reduced the price of tickets for Season Card holders and MyForest Members even further.”
The club has been contacted for further comment on the ticket price changes.
The second leg of the Europa League tie is scheduled to take place in Denmark next week, on Thursday, March 19.
