Ranking the 25 Most Desirable Season Tickets to Have in World Football
Imagine you were given a teleportation device and a simple decision: You can have a season ticket for a club of your choice for the rest of the campaign. Who would you choose?
The international pause has handed us the chance to measure every team in five categories, explained below, which cover everything from stars on show, the quality of the league, the atmosphere and the rather important discussion of price, in order to ascertain which are the best choices.
Tallying up the scores gave us a top 25 most desirable season tickets for this term.
Location was not considered for this exercise. Sure, it's always nice to visit a stadium on a river or on the coast, but this is a bi-weekly exercise—you're visiting this place around 17-plus times in the space of eight months; the football has to be the key factor.
That means the likes of Raja Casablanca, Legia Warsaw, Hajduk Split and Persepolis—clubs all capable of putting on quite the show and generating a remarkable atmosphere—don't make the final list. What's happening in the stands can't quite make up for the lower quality action on the pitch.
The Measuring Sticks
Quality of football: How good is the football you're set to watch? Which stars are on show? If you're hitting up 17-plus games, the team you root for is going to have to entertain.
Atmosphere: A crucial tenet to tick off for football aficionados. Is the stadium bouncing and roaring? Are there flares, colours, chants and pyrotechnics?
Likelihood of a win: There's no easier way to kill an atmosphere in most stadiums, or sour the mood of most crowds, than consistent losses. If you're going regularly, you want to see success.
League standard: You're there for the whole season. You want competitive games, and you want quality opposition taking on your adopted, quality side.
Price: You love football, but you don't want to pay through the nose. The average cost of a season ticket, in a regular seat in a regular part of the stand, is taken into account.
25. San Lorenzo
The first of two Argentine entries, San Lorenzo is a destination on many world football fans' bucket lists. Right now the team are ticking along nicely (fourth in Superliga Argentina), so it'd be a good time to go and experience it. But no matter how well they play on the pitch, you'll come away more impressed by the crowd.
Many of the songs or tunes that end up spreading across European football terraces start here, in Santa Fe, with these passionate, die-hard fans.
24. Al Ahly
If you're opting for something new and decide to try Africa, why not subscribe to one of the very biggest clubs on the continent?
Al Ahly are by far the most successful team in Egyptian history when it comes to trophy hauls, and their raucous fans bring the noise and pyrotechnics to complement it.
They've plenty to shout about; the club went unbeaten throughout the entire 2016-17 Premier League season and reached the African Champions League final in 2017 .
23. Atlanta United
Atlanta United broke several attendance records in their maiden MLS season. A ridiculous 71,874 watched their draw with Toronto FC, per ESPN; the stadium capacity has to be there, but interest does too.
The carnival atmosphere undoubtedly helped push the team into the playoffs at the first time of asking, and in Josef Martinez, they have a star up top, while Julian Gressell has just been named Rookie of the Year.
It just looks an incredibly fun place to be.
22. Real Betis
Real Betis' superb season might just be flying under the radar a little—you can blame Real Madrid's demise and Valencia's vibrancy for that—but catch a game there if you can.
An intriguing summer recruitment spree landed them some strong names, and Antonio Sanabria finally looks to be living up to his billing as a top-tier striking prospect. The Estadio Benito Villamarin holds 60,000, and after a few years in the wilderness, the crowds are being drawn back to it.
21. Tigres
Mexico have plenty of attractive choices, including Club America (who play at the Azteca) and Monterrey, who have a brand new stadium of their own. But Tigres UANL are in a league of their own when it comes to atmosphere.
Add this to the fact they were successful last season, winning the Torneo Apertura and are right in the mix this term (currently 2nd in Liga MX), and it's the perfect storm. Crazy fans, a crazy atmosphere, and plenty to enjoy on the pitch.
20. Manchester United
While Old Trafford is removed from the inflated financial bubble of London, it is still an expensive place to visit frequently. The smallest amount you can pay to watch the Red Devils all campaign long is £532, with the average season ticket in the £700s.
In the early stages of the season, this would have been well worth it, as United were putting four past teams and playing with a Paul Pogba-induced swagger. Now, though, with Jose Mourinho's mood darkening by the week, the football's less sexy, less entertaining and less appealing.
19. Tottenham
Wembley Stadium has already played host to some epic games this season thanks to Tottenham. The home loss to Chelsea early on was a serious early tone-setter, while their destruction of Liverpool reaffirmed their status as one of the best teams in the country.
The football's great, the players are excellent and the tactics are exhilarating, but the thing holding Spurs back in this list is, of course, pricing. The cheapest season ticket on offer was £695!
18. Besiktas
Besiktas are a club threatening to derail the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Co. for "hipster's choice," and that's down to two key factors.
First, the noise and atmosphere at their stadium is absolutely mind-boggling. It's so loud, it triggered Timo Werner's vertigo in September and forced him to be substituted off, per the Daily Mail.
Second, they're getting pretty good. That they're top of a Champions League group that contains Porto, Monaco and RB Leipzig is quite revealing.
17. Liverpool
At their optimal level, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are one of the finest attacking sides in Europe. Speed, power and thrust are all combined to devastating effect in front of goal. It's a super watch.
As with most Premier League clubs the price of watching them live must come into question here—the cheapest available route is £685, while a middle-of-the-road seat is closer to £800—but when Anfield's rocking, Mohamed Salah is tearing through defences and Klopp's losing his glasses in the midst of a dog-pile celebration, it probably feels worth it at the time.
16. Roma
The Stadio Olimpico said goodbye to Luciano Spalletti's attacking football last summer and welcomed Eusebio Di Francesco's more pragmatic version. Roma may have perked up of late, but more often that not, they're winning 1-0.
That dampens their attractiveness a little in choosing season tickets. They're still a solid choice, the crowd loud when given something to feed off, and you should never scoff if given the chance to watch Radja Nainggolan play, but they're not a top-10 option.
15. Inter Milan
Luciano Spalletti's Inter Milan might just produce something special this season. Of the cluster of clubs vying for Juventus' title, they're the only ones without any European football, and can focus solely on Serie A play.
They're yet to lose this season, and this summer saw them bring in some fantastic players. Mauro Icardi is a fine striking talent, giving them a shot at winning any game.
For between €260 and €300, you can watch these guys at work. The only drawback? San Siro's gaping holes in terms of attendances; an 80,000-seater with only 50,000 in it feels more empty than it should.
14. Ajax
Ajax's commitment to positive, attacking, possession-based football has long been their calling card. The refusal to waver in the face of the billions spent across the continent, instead continually looking to the academy for talent, has secured their place in most football fans' hearts.
There's something quite amazing about watching a team made up of 22-year-olds play opponents half a decade their senior off the park. Even if you're not watching top-level football, you're certainly watching the stars of tomorrow before their names become names.
13. Boca Juniors
Sparklers, flares, confetti, banners, and a deafening din—you can expect to find all of these thing (and more) when Boca Juniors take to the pitch at La Bombonera.
The atmosphere generated is well documented—particularly when they welcome River Plate for the Superclasico—and the football they're offering up right now isn't too bad either; they top the Argentine Premier League with a flawless record (eight wins from eight).
12. Lazio
Lazio have been a real surprise package this season, starting out of the blocks quickly with a Supercoppa Italiana victory over Juventus, then putting together a remarkable streak of form up until this point—both in Serie A and in Europe.
Their style of football is easy on the eye, and the level Simone Inzaghi is extracting from a group of players that includes no "elite" individuals is amazing. Around €250 will give you the season-long pleasure of watching how high they can go.
11. PSV Eindhoven
PSV have been a lot of fun so far this season. Top of the Eredivisie with 37 goals scored in just 11 games, they're bludgeoning teams, outscoring them in relentless fashion.
The Philips Stadion can get loud and put on a show when it needs to, and when shooting star Hirving Lozano rips another poor defence to pieces, they often do.
10. Juventus
If you thrive in increased competition, this might just be the best campaign to own a Juventus season ticket in in years. They've definitely taken a step backward since last season, while their rivals have all taken one or more steps forward, creating what looks set to be an intense Serie A title race.
The Bianconeri still have the best squad in the division, spearheaded by Argentine duo Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala (who might well be worth the admission price alone), and they'll be forced to fight hard to retain the Scudetto in 2018. Watch with intrigue.
9. RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig's 2017-18 Bundesliga campaign won't be as successful as their previous one, with added European fixtures clogging the schedule and making things tougher, but they're still a good bet to secure a top-three spot in the table, and they offer a great matchday experience.
A seat in the Red Bull Arena gives you access to the likes of Naby Keita, Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg, and, as is the case in all German stadiums, won't set you back too much.
8. Real Madrid
In previous seasons, and likely in future seasons, the Santiago Bernabeu would feature higher in a list of places to spend lots of your time, but it's not the most positive of places right now.
It's still a great idea to go, as it's not as expensive as you'd think and gives you the chance to watch generational talent Cristiano Ronaldo, in addition to the likes of Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos and Marcelo. Still, in stakes based on the current season, Los Blancos being so far back in the title race devalues them a little.
7. Paris Saint-Germain
Football in Paris got a whole lot more attractive this summer, as the world-record acquisition of Neymar changed the landscape of the sport.
Suddenly PSG are viewed as legitimate Champions League contenders, and the morale boost the transfer created has helped them get off to a strong start in reclaiming the Ligue 1 title from Monaco.
The cheapest season tickets at the Parc des Princes are in the Ultras section, so in terms of general availability, you're looking at €500-700. That might seem like a fair chunk of cash, but their relentless, star-studded recruitment drive over the past few years actually makes it look a great deal.
The standard of some of the visiting teams is what lets PSG down here. The home fans are actually pretty good, and that's lucky, as at times they have to keep themselves entertained while their stars batter a Guingamp, or a Metz, or a Strasbourg.
6. Valencia
What a turnaround it's been for Valencia: From the Gary Neville debacle to arguably La Liga's most exciting team in the space of two years.
New coach Marcelino has placed his faith in youth and outcasts, assembling an incredible side out of ragtag acquisitions, loans and academy stars. They're beating teams consistently by two or three goals, boast a plus-19 goal difference and sit second in La Liga.
The Estadio Mestalla has responded to this vibrant brand of football by ramping up the noise levels, it's a happy place, and the cheapest season ticket for 2017-18 cost less than €200!
5. Napoli
Napoli play one of the most exciting brands of football on earth. Their high-press philosophy has captured the hearts of hipsters, and their commitment to possession play—even in the most dangerous of scenarios—has endeared the neutrals. The Partenopei are essentially appointment viewing every week.
Watching this—plus the flood of goals that naturally come with it—on a bi-weekly basis must be incredibly satisfying. An added bonus is that the Stadio San Paolo is a large, lively place boasting some incredibly partisan and loyal fans.
4. Manchester City
If you're looking for the finest football being played on the planet right now, head to the Etihad Stadium. City's current vein of form has put them on top of the Premier League, on top of Europe, on top of the world.
The attacking talent on show guarantees goals, and all of Pep Guardiola's chess pieces are currently contributing. They've already flown past the 50-goal mark for the season...and it's only November.
City's season tickets are pretty reasonable in the context of the Premier League's price drive—around £300 will get you a permanent seat—and as Sunday proved, by purchasing one you'll be given the chance to watch the Citizens take the wheels off even some of the strongest English teams around.
What held them just outside the top three was the atmosphere. It's not poor but it doesn't rival the best, and the fanbase still don't seem to have bought into the Champions League; attendances on European nights are 7,000-10,000 below the usual Premier League number.
3. Barcelona
The window in which you can watch peak Lionel Messi is closing. He's playing out of his skin in 2017-18, carrying Barcelona to an extent, and that alone is a reason to commit to a full season at the Camp Nou.
The atmosphere can be a little numb at times—particularly at present, with political protests a genuine feature of the crowd's actions and songs—but that's the only area La Blaugrana fall down in.
Season tickets are cheap (though hard to attain, given the number of socios (members) Barcelona boast), the football's amazing, the quality of opposition is as high as it gets, and the flawless home record so far suggests you'll always be going home happy.
2. Bayern Munich
It's difficult to foresee a circumstance in which having a Bayern Munich season ticket isn't a good thing. Perhaps if you support 1860 Munich, only?
Five consecutive Bundesliga titles speak to their dominance, and no matter who Die Roten are playing, they are expected to beat them at home. That's certainly the case under Jupp Heynckes; they've entered the international break on a seven-game win streak.
The Bundesliga pride themselves on cheap tickets and full stadiums, creating a rocking atmosphere, and Bayern are no different despite their unrivalled success.
1. Borussia Dortmund
If you're surprised, you shouldn't be. Borussia Dortmund's fabled matchday experience really is everything it's cracked up to be, and emphatically ticks every box we used to measure each club.
The football is attacking and vibrant, even in defeat, and although Peter Bosz's men are in a bit of a rough patch at the moment, the chances of winning are generally pretty high; you'd expect BVB to once again finish in the Bundesliga's top three this season.
Much is made of the Yellow Wall's noise and undying support, and while it is impressive, the rest of the ground strongly echoes its noise and do their part. It makes for the most positive of atmospheres for the home side, but the most hostile for opponents.
Added to all this is the ridiculously cheap price Dortmund offer season tickets for. Ordinarily you can't just nab one at Signal Iduna Park—they dished out 55,000 this season and still have a long waiting list. That means the lucky souls who do own them make the most of it.
All footballing statistics via WhoScored.com
.png?w=600 "NBA Playoff Bracket After 76ers Win")
.jpg?w=600 "EDGE-Rush Duos Power Rankings 📊")
