Arsenal have been fined £500,000 ($665,000) by the Professional Game Board (PGB) for breaching FA Cup Rule 192 during last season’s third-round clash against Manchester United in January.
The rule stipulates that for all FA Cup matches except the semi-finals and final, the away club must receive 15% of the total tickets issued. However, United were allocated only 7,956 tickets instead of the 9,000 they were entitled to. Arsenal attributed the shortfall to safety concerns, citing difficulties in accommodating away fans in the upper tier due to persistent standing.
While the PGB acknowledged the explanation, it ruled that Arsenal had failed to comply with the competition’s ticketing requirements. The £500,000 fine is suspended, pending Arsenal’s confirmation that they can meet ticketing obligations for the upcoming FA Cup third round and maintain compliance in future rounds this season.
The match itself proved dramatic, ending 1-1 after extra time before Manchester United triumphed 5-3 on penalties. United took the lead through Bruno Fernandes, but after Diogo Dalot’s red card, Arsenal equalised via Gabriel. Arsenal later missed a controversial penalty through Martin Ødegaard, with Altay Bayindir producing a standout performance to keep United in contention. In the shootout, United were flawless, sealing victory with Joshua Zirkzee’s decisive penalty after Kai Havertz missed for the Gunners.
Following that win, United advanced to the fourth round, where they beat Leicester City, but were later knocked out by Fulham on penalties in the fifth round.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are also working on a £500 million ($664m) stadium expansion plan to modernise and enlarge the Emirates Stadium. The project aims to boost capacity from 60,700 to over 70,000 seats, which would make it the largest club ground in London, overtaking Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and London Stadium (West Ham).
The proposed redevelopment seeks to address a season ticket waiting list exceeding 100,000 fans and enhance matchday revenue. However, the tight 17-acre site and residential surroundings pose significant planning and logistical challenges, potentially delaying approval for up to five years.
If the project goes ahead, Arsenal may have to temporarily relocate home games, possibly to Wembley Stadium, similar to Tottenham’s arrangement during their stadium rebuild. While discussions are ongoing, the club has yet to finalise a decision on the proposed expansion.
