El Clásico ticket scandal rocks Real Madrid

Spanish newspaper Marca has revealed the existence of an illegal network renting out Real Madrid season tickets, particularly for the El Clásico against Barcelona in the tenth round of the 2025-26 La Liga season. Investigations indicate that the network began operating approximately 40 days before El Clásico, taking advantage of the high demand for tickets. It charges up to €500 per ticket for major matches. Although renting season tickets is illegal, the club's internal regulations allow tickets to be owned by friends or relatives, provided they are not for sale. The network exploited this to facilitate its operations. Season ticket rules differ at most major European clubs, where ticket holders are only allowed entry after their identity is verified. However, at Real Madrid, anyone with a ticket is often allowed in, making tracking violations almost impossible. According to the investigation, approximately 3,000 season tickets were rented out in 2024, and only seven were seized. Authorities released the ticket holders after confirming that the transactions were for loan, not sale. The report explained that ticket rentals are sometimes done openly, via street posters and online advertisements, specifically before major matches, especially El Clásico. The network operates by contacting the ticket holder, agreeing on the loan price, delivering the ticket and the amount due, and then returning the ticket to its owner after the match. For its part, Real Madrid launched a warning campaign last season against season ticket rentals, asserting that the practice harms the club financially. However, the club offered an official alternative through its own platform, where ticket holders can legally rent tickets and obtain discounts and offers through official channels. Real Madrid has approximately 60,000 season tickets, with prices ranging between 1,000 and 3,000 euros per subscription. Ticket holders get their full refund if they rent them twice during the season.