Liverpool announce 75 fans have been banned for life after club cracked down on ticket touts at Anfield

With over 1,500 tickets revoked and more than 5,000 additional accounts currently under investigation, Liverpool have reinforced their commitment to protecting genuine supporters and tackling fraudulent ticket resales. This policy aligns with recent league-wide warnings issued to fans of all 20 Premier League clubs, cautioning them about potential scams as the 2024-25 season commenced.

In its ongoing commitment to fight ticket touting, Liverpool have invested in advanced “anti-touting measures” this season, both through online tools and increased in-person monitoring. As part of the initiative, Liverpool have blocked nearly 100,000 fake accounts and has ramped up efforts to combat digital fraud and online ticket scams. To ensure clarity for supporters, the Reds have also reinforced the importance of buying tickets only through official channels and avoid falling victim to counterfeit ticket scams.

Liverpool released a statement which read: "Liverpool FC continues to take decisive action against ticket touting, shutting down close to 100,000 fake ticketing accounts while issuing 75 lifetime bans and 136 indefinite suspensions last season alone. The number of accounts deactivated includes those cancelled following investigations and others blocked from sales or ballots due to suspicious online activity or identified as bots.

"A further 5,670 accounts are currently under review by the club for suspicious activity, including supplying persons who have recently been charged by Merseyside Police for fraud related to ticket touting. A total of 1,500 tickets were cancelled across the 2023-24 season, either part of mass cancellations or from account holders who had already received sanctions, and the tickets were made available for resale.

"The vast majority of lifetime bans and indefinite suspensions were handed down for unauthorised selling of season tickets, memberships or hospitality tickets, in breach of terms and conditions. This reflects the club’s zero-tolerance approach to all forms of ticketing touting."

Liverpool’s firm stance follows a broader trend among Premier League clubs, with Arsenal similarly introducing measures to curb unauthorized ticket sales. In July, Arsenal took significant action by banning numerous supporters who allegedly sold tickets to opposition fans for their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. Over the summer, Arsenal issued thousands of bans tied to touting allegations and has continued to scrutinize attendance and ticketing transactions rigorously.

Moreover, according to The Standard, Arsenal had withdrawn 24 season tickets from fans who did not attend a minimum of 17 of 22 home matches or failed to list their tickets on the official exchange platform. Arsenal’s ballot system now incorporates specialised anti-bot technology to enhance the fairness of the process for genuine fans.

To further support fans in securing genuine tickets, Liverpool introduced a new ballot system ahead of the 2023-24 season, specifically targeting local general sales and Members’ sales. This move was intended to make the ticket distribution process more equitable, particularly for local fans seeking to attend games at Anfield. Arne Slot's men would next play at Anfield on Saturday against Brighton.