Tottenham stadium set for empty seats after low ticket sales

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host UEFA Champions League football for the first time in more than two and a half years on Tuesday, but the game is not a sell-out.

Thomas Frank’s side welcome Villarreal in their opening league-phase fixture, yet thousands of seats are expected to remain empty despite the club’s impressive start to the season so far.

Spurs — who are rated as 33/1 shots in the outright Champions League betting — have had more than 61,000 fans at each of their first two Premier League home matches this term, but a crowd of around 54,000 is forecast for Tuesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium not sold out for Villarreal game

The club confirmed last week that tickets for the Villarreal clash had reached general sale, something that rarely happens for Spurs home matches. Ordinarily, season-ticket holders and club members account for virtually every available seat, leaving no need to open up sales to the wider public.

This time, however, demand has been sluggish. Around 8,000 seats are set to remain unoccupied, making it one of the lowest attendances for a European night since the ground opened in 2019.

Why have Spurs been unable to sell all tickets for Champions League opener?

Part of the problem is the fixture list. Villarreal have European pedigree but do not carry the glamour of the continent’s elite clubs.

Tottenham’s other home matches in the league phase are against Slavia Prague, Copenhagen and Borussia Dortmund. Only the Dortmund clash in January is expected to generate the sort of sell-out demand that has become the norm in north London.

The absence of a box-office opponent stands in contrast to the draws handed to England’s other Champions League clubs. Newcastle host Barcelona, Liverpool face Real Madrid, Chelsea also meet Barca and Arsenal welcome Bayern Munich.

With no comparable tie on Tottenham’s schedule until Dortmund visit in January, many fans appear to be holding back.

Tickets are still available in most sections of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Tuesday’s game against Villarreal

How much are tickets for Tottenham vs Villarreal?

Spurs placed the Villarreal match in their Category B pricing tier. Adult tickets in the cheapest sections are £49, reduced to £37 for seniors and young adults, while juniors pay £24.50. In mid-range sections of the South Stand, adult seats are £80 with no concessions, while the most expensive areas are priced at £96.

For comparison, Category A fixtures against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle cost up to £109, while Category C games, such as those against Copenhagen or Burnley, start at £38.

Randal Kolo Muani set for Spurs debut

Spurs boss Frank has confirmed that Randal Kolo Muani is ready to make his Tottenham debut against Villarreal.

The France international joined Spurs on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day and is yet to feature, but his manager insisted he will be involved on Tuesday night.

“If we needed him to play, he could play 90 minutes,” said Frank. “But can he play at the intensity and the level that we want? That’s the question. He’s ready and he’ll be involved tomorrow, so that’s the most important thing.”

Spurs will be without Dominic Solanke, who is still recovering from an ankle injury. Richarlison is available again after international duty, but Mathys Tel — who started Saturday’s 3-0 win at West Ham in the Premier League — is not registered in Tottenham’s Champions League squad.

Kolo Muani scored 11 goals for PSG last season.