Manchester Gig Tickets Spark Fresh Viagogo Touting Dispute 2026

Key Points

• FanFair Alliance claimed that there were over 1,600 tickets available from around 300 Greater Manchester events on Viagogo.
• The probe involved venues in Manchester, Salford, and Stockport, ranging from independent grassroots music venues to larger venues.
• Three sellers from the US, Latvia, and Germany comprised over 75 percent of all the tickets found by campaigners.
• The most expensive ticket available was £5,899 for Mica Millar’s performance at New Century, according to the BBC.
• FanFair Alliance claimed some of the listings included false ticket details or seller information which may be a breach of UK consumer law.
• Viagogo dismissed campaigners’ allegations, arguing that the figures were based on advertising rather than actual sales.
• The company argued that tickets have sold for just £16 on their website and that their terms do not allow speculative listings.
• Artists, venues, industry representatives, and campaigners demanded further government intervention against industrial ticket touting.
• The dispute happens amid efforts made by the UK Government to introduce legislation which aims to prevent the resale of live event tickets above the original price.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) September 25, 2026 – campaigners say their investigation found more than 1,600 tickets for nearly 300 events across Greater Manchester listed on Viagogo at prices substantially above their original cost.

The research covered venues in Manchester, Salford and Stockport. The locations included Band on the Wall, Gorilla, Night & Day Café, The Star & Garter, YES, Rebellion, New Century and The White Hotel.

The findings were reported by the BBC in an article titled “Touts in US, Latvia and Germany selling Manchester gig tickets”. The BBC reported that three resellers operating from the United States, Latvia and Germany were responsible for more than 75% of the tickets identified in the investigation.

FanFair Alliance presented the figures as evidence that ticket touting is no longer confined to major arena concerts. Adam Webb, the organisation’s campaign manager, said large, high-demand events had traditionally attracted professional resellers, but the Manchester research showed that smaller independent and grassroots venues were also being targeted.

According to the BBC, Webb said the Manchester examples represented “literally the tip of the iceberg” and that similar activity was being repeated at smaller events in the UK, Europe and the United States. He urged the prime minister to fulfil the Government’s promise to put fans first and end what the organisation describes as industrial-scale ticket touting.

How expensive were the Manchester listings?

The most expensive listing identified in the BBC report was a ticket for Mica Millar’s performance at New Century. It was advertised for £5,899, representing a reported 19,728% increase on its original price.

Tickets for a 40th-anniversary event celebrating The Smiths’ album The Queen Is Dead were also reportedly listed at £549 each. The event was due to feature a conversation involving The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce and producer Stephen Street.

The scale of the reported mark-ups has intensified criticism from musicians and representatives of Manchester’s live-music industry. Mike Joyce said Manchester had built its reputation as a major music city through its venues, artists and audiences, rather than through resellers seeking quick profits.

As reported by the BBC, Joyce said the high-priced listings were “outrageous” because fans paid more while artists and venues received no additional benefit. He argued that the practice took money away from the local live-music ecosystem rather than supporting it.

The BBC also reported comments from Gareth Griffiths, director of partnerships and sponsorship at Virgin Media O2. Griffiths said the research demonstrated that no venue or event was immune from the effects of ticket touting.

He described Manchester as one of the world’s leading music cities and warned that its development could be undermined by offshore traders who extract money from the local live economy. Griffiths called on the Government to act quickly and ban ticket touting.

Which venues were included in the research?

The FanFair Alliance investigation examined ticket listings connected with 13 Greater Manchester venues. The venues included well-known independent and grassroots spaces as well as larger locations.

The BBC listed Band on the Wall, Gorilla, Night & Day Café, The Star & Garter, YES, Rebellion, New Century and The White Hotel among the venues covered.

The Manchester Evening News also reported that campaigners had examined listings connected with nearly 300 events in Manchester, Salford and Stockport. Its report said the findings raised concerns about the vulnerability of smaller venues, where events often have limited capacity and tickets can sell quickly.

Gavin Sharp, chief executive of Band on the Wall, was quoted by the Manchester Evening News as expressing concern about tickets being promoted online by people who had not bought them from the venue in advance. He described the practice as a form of digital touting in which sellers advertise tickets they do not possess and attempt to raise their visibility in online search results.

That allegation is significant because speculative listings can create uncertainty for fans. A listing may appear to offer an available ticket even when the seller does not yet possess a valid ticket for the event. Whether a specific listing breaches the law would depend on the facts and any relevant regulatory or legal assessment.

FanFair Alliance said some listings appeared to contain false details and seller information. The organisation argued that such details could raise issues under UK consumer protection law.

What has Viagogo said?

Viagogo disputed the conclusions drawn by FanFair Alliance.

A Viagogo spokesperson told the BBC that the investigation relied on listing prices rather than the final prices paid by customers. The company said the distinction was important because an advertised price does not prove that a ticket was sold at that amount.

According to the BBC, Viagogo said tickets for the events had been sold on the platform for as little as £16. The company argued that presenting the highest advertised prices without showing completed transactions created a misleading or distorted picture of what customers actually paid.bbc

The company also said that the most expensive listings had not sold and were unlikely to sell. Viagogo maintained that it takes its legal obligations seriously and is compliant in the UK.

The platform further stated that its policies prohibit speculative listings. It said that any alleged speculative listing identified as such would be removed in line with company policy.

The response establishes the central disagreement between the company and the campaigners. FanFair Alliance is using the scale and price of listings as evidence of the problem, while Viagogo says the more relevant measure is the final price of completed transactions.

Neither position, by itself, establishes how many tickets were ultimately sold at the prices identified. The reported figures concern listings observed during the investigation, while Viagogo’s response concerns completed sales and the platform’s rules.

Are other Manchester events affected?

The dispute extends beyond the individual events included in FanFair Alliance’s investigation.

The BBC reported that separate research by O2 found tickets for 2027 Manchester arena tours, including shows by Tame Impala and Gracie Abrams, listed on uncapped resale websites at more than 1,000% above face value. The same research reportedly found tickets for artists including Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal priced at almost £6,000.

Tinie Tempah criticised the reported listings for his Manchester show. As reported by the BBC, he said seeing tickets offered for nearly £6,000 was “crazy” and inconsistent with the purpose of live music.

He also argued that the issue affected more than a single tour. He said emerging artists and grassroots venues were already operating under pressure, while resellers who contributed nothing to live music could profit from fans’ demand.

The Manchester Evening News reported similar concerns about the impact on the city’s wider music economy. Its coverage said the reported activity could affect artists, venues and audiences by diverting revenue away from the original event ecosystem.

The newspaper also placed the investigation within the wider debate about the resale of tickets for major tours. Its report referred to public concern over automated purchasing, large-scale buying and the subsequent relisting of tickets at sharply increased prices.

What action is the UK Government considering?

The dispute arrives as the Government moves towards legislation aimed at changing the rules for live-event ticket resale.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the Government had announced plans to prevent tickets for live events from being resold above their original cost. The proposed approach is intended to reduce the financial incentive for professional touts and lower costs for fans.

The same report said the Government was expected to publish a bill during the current parliamentary session. The timing followed a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Liz Jarvis about delays to the legislation and its potential effect on consumers.

Ian Murray, the Labour Minister of State for Digital Culture, Media and Sport, said the Government remained committed to putting fans first and tackling industrial ticket touting. According to the Manchester Evening News, Murray said the Government was taking time to ensure that any legislation was effective, enforceable and capable of addressing future developments.

Murray also referred to work within the ticketing industry to establish new best practices. He welcomed the involvement of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers in bringing parts of the sector together.

The proposed legislation has not, by itself, resolved the disagreement between campaigners, resale platforms and event businesses. Its eventual effect will depend on the final wording, enforcement arrangements and the treatment of fees, exemptions, marketplaces and tickets sold through different channels.

Why does the dispute matter to fans and venues?

The dispute matters because resale listings can influence how fans assess ticket availability and affordability.

When tickets appear to be available only at highly inflated prices, some fans may believe that paying several times the original cost is the only way to attend. Campaigners argue that professional resellers can profit from scarcity without contributing to the creation or staging of the event.

For venues, particularly smaller venues, the concern is both financial and reputational. A venue may have no control over a secondary listing, yet customers may associate the high price or inaccurate information with the venue itself.

Artists can also face a difficult position. They may receive no additional income from a resale carried out above face value, while fans may blame them for prices they did not set.

Viagogo’s argument focuses on the distinction between listings and sales. From the company’s perspective, a high asking price does not demonstrate that consumers paid that amount. The company also says its rules prohibit speculative listings and that it complies with UK law.

The two sides therefore disagree not only about the scale of the problem but also about which evidence should be used to measure it.

Background: How did the UK ticket-touting debate develop?

The UK has faced sustained criticism of secondary ticketing practices for years. Campaigners, artists, venues and parts of the music industry have repeatedly raised concerns about professional resellers, speculative listings, unclear fees and tickets advertised at prices well above face value.

FanFair Alliance has played a prominent role in that debate. Its earlier campaigns and submissions to regulators have alleged that some resale practices could be misleading or unlawful. The organisation has previously called for greater transparency and restrictions on industrial-scale activity.

Viagogo has consistently defended the role of secondary ticketing while stating that it complies with legal requirements. In earlier disputes, the company has argued that resale platforms can provide consumers with access to tickets and that sellers should be able to set their own prices.

The Competition and Markets Authority has also been involved in the wider regulatory history of the sector. Previous enforcement activity led to requirements concerning information displayed on resale platforms, including details about tickets and sellers.

The current Government proposal for a price restriction represents a further possible change. If enacted, it could reshape the commercial model used by professional ticket resellers by limiting the amount above the original ticket price that can be charged.

The Manchester investigation gives that policy debate a local and concrete focus. Rather than involving only stadium concerts, the reported listings include small venues and events that are central to the city’s independent music scene.

Prediction: How could this affect Manchester music fans?

The immediate effect on Manchester music fans is likely to be increased scrutiny of resale listings and greater pressure on platforms to verify tickets, sellers and prices.

If the Government introduces and enforces a cap on resale prices, fans could eventually see fewer listings at extreme mark-ups. However, the practical impact will depend on how the rules define the original price, whether fees are included, and how regulators address overseas sellers and platforms operating across borders.

Fans may also face tighter purchasing procedures. Venues and primary ticketing partners could introduce stronger identity checks, limits on ticket transfers and restrictions on resale. Those measures may reduce professional touting but could make legitimate transfers more complicated for customers who can no longer attend.

The dispute may encourage audiences to buy through official venue or artist channels and to treat unusually cheap or expensive listings with caution. It could also prompt venues to publish clearer advice about authorised sellers.

For Manchester’s independent venues, successful regulation could help retain more ticket revenue within the local live-music economy. If enforcement is weak, campaigners may continue to argue that resellers can move activity between platforms and jurisdictions.

The most likely outcome is a prolonged policy and legal debate rather than an immediate end to inflated listings. The Manchester findings have increased pressure on the Government, but the effect on fans will depend on the final legislation, enforcement resources and the continuing response from ticketing companies.