The hidden consequence of Birmingham 2026’s extortionate prices
The 2026 European Athletics Championships at Alexander Stadium have been marred by thousands of empty seats, partly caused by extortionate prices, and this could have an unforeseen knock-on effect
The European Athletics Championships in Birmingham saw a significant issue with empty seats during the event, despite the presence of star athlete Amy Hunt triumphing in the women's 100m race. The dearth of attendees in the Alexander Stadium, which can hold 23,000 spectators, has raised questions about the event's appeal due to high ticket prices.
Category A tickets, the most expensive, cost £150 without any concessions discount, a stark contrast to the €88 (£75) tickets at the 2019 European Championships in Rome. While some lower-priced tickets were available, they were quickly sold out, leaving only expensive categories to be filled, leading to nearly 10,000 empty seats.
Organisers defended ticket sales, stating they had surpassed targets, but critics argue the pricing strategy may be off-putting, potentially impacting Birmingham's chances of hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
