Nine days ago (Wednesday 25 February 2026) I reported on an announcement from our upcoming FA Cup opponents. That official announcement from Man City telling Manchester City fans: ‘The Club has received an initial allocation of 4,893 tickets, including 24 wheelchair bays and a number of tickets for ambulant fans. Newcastle United are currently liaising with the Safety Advisory Group and the relevant local authorities. Subject to the outcome of these discussions, the initial allocation of 4893 away tickets may be increased. Further details will be communicated as soon as possible.’
The rules for the FA Cup are that away fans are entitled to 15% of stadium capacity, so for St James’ Park and its 52,000+ capacity, that equates to around 7,500 tickets that Manchester City fans would be entitled to. Clubs such as Luton have got that allocation for FA Cup matches at St James’ Park in the recent past and brought those numbers.
For the Carabao Cup their competition rules see away supporters entitled to 10% of stadium capacity and Manchester City fans were allocated 4,893 tickets for their semi-final match at St James’ Park in January.
However, they sent back several blocks of tickets because the Manchester City supporters didn’t buy them. A third or more of the tickets were returned, with only around 3,200 Manchester City fans inside SJP for that Carabao Cup semi-final game.
So has there been a massive upsurge in the number of Manchester City fans buying tickets for a trip to St James’ Park and if so, have they been supplied with the full 7,500 FA Cup 15% ticket allocation now?
Well that ship sailed some time ago.
The extra 2,600+ tickets that Manchester City fans would have been entitled to, instead sold to Newcastle United fans, as Man City made clear there was no chance of selling those tickets to their own supporters.
Moving forward to the present, with the FA Cup last 16 tie tomorrow.
Manchester City fans have failed to buy up even the initial 4,893 ticket allocation.
Their club still trying unsuccessfully to sell the remaining unsold tickets and disappointingly, there will be empty seats inside St James’ Park on Saturday night in the away end.
Manchester City fans have the nine blocks of tickets up in Level 7 from L7C across to L7M (nearest the East Stand), whilst Newcastle United fans having the rest of Level 7, from L7B in the Milburn/Leazes corner, then heading left along the top of the Milburn stand.