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During a football match, the segregation between the home and away fans can be easily noticed. Majority of the seats are occupied by the home fans , while the visiting team's supporters are often seated in a separate zone with arguably not the best of seating arrangements.

I understand that the clubs allocate a certain amount of tickets to be sold to 'away' supporters. However, how exactly do they know if a person is an away fan? What restrictions , if at all, are there on an away fan to prevent them from buying tickets reserved for home fans?

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    It all depends on where and what game. In some countries it's completely forbidden, in some countries it's just allowed if you behave. Some clubs will restrict the sale to only known individuals (e.g. registered members), annul tickets that have been bought by people from country X when playing an opponent from said country X in a continental game. However if you're someone who behaves normally, do not wear opposing team colors and don't anger people when your team scored a goal with obnoxious cheering, you'll get away with it. Done multiple times without incidents.
    – Don_Biglia
    Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 8:24

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The clubs don't allocate that amount to away fans, but to the area they're supposed to be seated in. If away fans buy tickets for the home or "neutral" zone the tickets will not count towards that limit.

I often do that with my family and get tickets for a more "peaceful" area, because sometimes it's too dangerous for families to be locked up in a small area like most away fans.

Sometimes the security doesn't even care if you're wearing your team colors. Only when there is a risk (derby, fans hating each others, etc) they will deny entry to those wearing away colors. But if you don't wear any colors you can go wherever you want.

On the other hand we even have matches where you can only buy tickets if you're living in the area of the home club and you need to prove it with your passport. Away fans then can only buy tickets via their own club. Those tickets usually have your name on them, so people don't sell them on eBay. This makes sure (almost) no away fan (even neutrally clothed) can get into the home areas. This is probably what you asked about in the first place.

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  • "Neutral zone" is not a real thing for most clubs. It's either away or home end most of the time.
    – Don_Biglia
    Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 8:24
  • @Don_Biglia I know.. I put it in "" for a reason ;) I was referring to the areas without ultras and the like.
    – dly
    Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 8:44
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Football fans typically wear their team's colours. Try walking in to a "home" section at Anfield wearing Everton's shirt (or anything predominantly royal blue) and you'll simply be refused entry.

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    I do understand the security risk this may have. However, I want to know how exactly do the clubs restrict this while selling tickets. As a sensible person, I would not like to be wearing white in the home section of Nou Camp. However, is there anything other than common sense(and abuse from home fans) preventing me from doing this.
    – Satya
    Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 7:54
  • As in my answer: you will be refused entry to the ground. Very few people are going to buy a ticket knowing there's a high chance they won't get to use it.
    – Philip Kendall ♦
    Commented Jan 24, 2018 at 8:07

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