Each received 26 wheelchair tickets! Manchester United and Tottenham s disabled fans are dissatisfied with the UEFA Cup final ticket allocation

May 20th According to the BBC, disabled fans of Manchester United and Tottenham expressed dissatisfaction with the number of tickets provided in the UEFA Cup final.

It is reported that disabled fans of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur criticized the number of wheelchair tickets provided in the UEFA Cup final as "insulting". It is understood that in Bilbao's nearly 50,000 seat stadium, the two teams each received only 26 wheelchair tickets.

Manchester United Association of Disabled Supporters and Tottenham fans expressed anger at the allocation, which included 15 additional "East" seats from 15,000 tickets per team. In response, UEFA said it has provided 75 wheelchair positions (including neutral areas) at the San Mames Stadium, and provided free accompanying seats and ensuring unobstructed vision. UEFA said 15% of those tickets were still unsold and available for purchase as of Tuesday morning, but two fan groups questioned the claim.

It is understood that the stadium is home to Spain's top team Athletic Bilbao, with a capacity of more than 53,000, but it has dropped to 49,600 in the final on Wednesday. Typically, the stadium can accommodate 208 wheelchair seats and 102 Easy-to-Distance seats, slightly below UEFA's recommended standard for its size. However, the two supporter groups and the sports charity with disabilities calculate that even under the restrictions of the San Mames Stadium, the two teams should have 58 wheelchair positions and another 28 strolls. Mark Spencer, a member of Tottenham fans, was unable to use his wheelchair due to a spinal injury. He drove to Bilbao to watch the game but did not buy a ticket.

In response, Spencer said: "It is an understatement to say that I was disappointed. I failed to go to the 2019 Champions League final. I thought there was a chance this time, but UEFA did not give us the proportions we deserve according to our own rules. It is very insulting and disappointing to be blocked from watching football and supporting your team because of disability."

Secretary of the Manchester United Association of Disabled Supporters Rick Clemente said: "UFA ultimately has the responsibility to enable fans to support their team, which should include people with disabilities."

In response, UEFA responded that they are "working to improve the standards and experience of disabled fans" and considered "visit quality", "historical needs" and the ratio of capacity to accessible seats. In response, the European football administration said: "While they all said they could sell more accessible tickets, they also expressed their willingness to maintain the current allocation rather than increase the quantity at the expense of seat quality."