Derby Days and High-Risk Matches… How To Get the Big-Game Tickets

Ever watched a huge Italian fixture on television and instantly added it to your bucket list? This is something football lovers have done for decades. Your eyes fixate on the fans, the banners, the flares and the players. Your ears pick up the noise, decibel levels rising and falling depending on the action.

Attendances in Italy are at their highest level for nearly 30 years. Stadiums are enjoying a post-pandemic resurgence not seen since the end of the 1990s, a time when Serie A was the greatest league in the world and filled with the game’s best talent.

AC Milan lead the way this season, with an average attendance of 73,000, Inter are slightly behind with 72,000 while Roma sit third on the podium with just over 62,000.

The biggest fixtures this season, such as the Derby della Madonnina (AC Milan vs Inter Milan), the Derby d’Italia (Juventus vs Inter), or the Derby della Capitale (Roma vs Lazio) have sold out or been very close. Even for games against the lesser sides, the numbers are impressive. Milan, for example, pulled in more than 74,000 for the 3-0 loss to Udinese in April.

Witnessing a big game in person can be a life-changing experience, and while the marquee matches are high demand, it is possible to get tickets. But it does take some planning.

Buy Online

It might seem obvious but it is the way to go. It very much depends on who the home side is. If it’s the Rome derby, for example, go to Roma’s official website if they’re the home side, if it’s Lazio, go to theirs, and follow instructions. This will mean registering for an account either on the club’s official website, with many of the bigger sides having an in-house ticketing system, or through an authorised ticket seller such as Vivaticket or TicketOne.

This will be the case for most of Italy’s marquee games. Buying online and in advance is your best chance of snapping up tickets, but it requires being alert and knowing when tickets go on sale via each club’s respective social media channels or official website.

You’ll also need your passport when buying tickets online, no matter the game.

In Person

Difficult if you don’t live in Italy. However, if in the country long enough before tickets go on general sale, buying in store could be an alternative. Tickets are found at each club’s main store, usually in the city centre.

Do You Need A Fidelity Card?

Yes. The Fidelity Card normally isn’t something you need for the smaller matches but where it’s absolutely vital is for derbies and bigger games where there might be restrictions due to them being deemed ‘high-risk’ by the Italian Ministry of the Interior. For most games, simply creating an account on a club’s website or authorised seller is enough to land tickets. For the big encounters and the smaller high-risk ones, such as Brescia vs Atalanta for example, having the card is mandatory.

Having the card allows you to get ahead of those waiting to buy tickets in the general sale. If you want to attend a match as an away fan, something virtually impossible to do in the Premier League, then having the card is compulsory.

Each club has its own version of the card. They can be bought on a club’s official website or through their authorised seller.

The cards normally last between three to five years – club dependant – and can cost anywhere between €5 and €20, again depending on the club.

Having the Fidelity Card allows you the chance to buy tickets at face value, without the need for going through a costly resale website.

Is There Another Way?

There is always another way when it comes to high-demand sporting events. Third-party websites are cashing in on the demand but, like everything else and significant of how the game is changing, they can only sell at a price punters are willing to pay.

LiveFootballTickets seems to be popular among Premier League fans and they also cover Serie A. Their Rome derby tickets started at £354 just over a week before the game while Napoli vs Bologna, four days before their meeting at the Maradona, ranged from £53 to £260.

P1 Travel is partnered with several Italian clubs. Their tickets for the Rome derby, just over a week before, started at £300 while they had tickets for Lazio against Inter from £68.

Need To Know

All of the biggest games in Italy will be moved to suit TV schedules. Most, but not all, tend to be slotted in for 8:45pm (local) on a Sunday night. But this depends on European fixtures and the time of year.

It’s imperative to keep an eye on official confirmation on kick-off times from Serie A, with certain stages of the season confirmed at shorter notice than others.

And always bring ID to the stadium.