Liverpool’s fight against touts exposes uncomfortable Anfield reality

The numbers are staggering. In addition to the bans, 162 social media groups with over one million combined members were shut down, and almost 500 people were denied entry to Anfield for using burner phones.

A further 10,000 suspicious accounts remain under investigation, with preventative technology like multi-factor authentication now at the heart of the system.

The motivation is clear: demand for tickets has surged since Arne Slot guided us to the Premier League title last season.

Anfield’s expansion has pushed capacity beyond 62,000, yet with only 28,000 season tickets, space for the average supporter is still incredibly tight.

Around 11,000 seats every game go to hospitality, and while the visiting allocation takes another 3,000, the remainder are left for members through ballots.

The uncomfortable truth about Anfield hospitality

This is where many fans believe the real issue lies.

While touts are being rightfully punished, hospitality prices make the club’s own practices look questionable.

A Brodies package for Leeds United costs £518 – offering a padded seat, a buffer, one drink, and a matchday programme – compared to £39 for a spot on the Kop.

Of the 7,000 seats added by the Anfield Road End expansion in 2023, just 1,000 went to season ticket holders, 3,000 to members, and another 3,000 to hospitality.

The maths tells its own story. The more seats allocated to hospitality, the harder it becomes for ordinary fans to attend, leaving touts and inflated prices to fill the gap.

Fingerprints, photo ID and tighter entry rules could be the ultimate solution, but until then, Liverpool risk replacing one form of touting with another.

When tickets go to the highest bidder, the atmosphere will only get worse as the more passionate fans are left in the dark by being priced out by both the club and the touts.