Sophie RobinsonSalford City host Grimsby Town tonight, 15 May 2026, in the second leg of their League Two play-off semi-final at the Peninsula Stadium. Salford carry a 2-1 advantage from last weekend's first leg and, if they hold on, will book a place at Wembley for the play-off final on Monday 25 May — alongside the winners of tonight's other semi-final between Notts County and Chesterfield.
For tens of thousands of League Two fans, a Wembley final creates an immediate, practical problem: getting hold of tickets before touts do. And the timing could not be more significant. Two new pieces of legislation targeting ticket scalping were included in The King's Speech 2026, announced on 14 May — just 24 hours before the Wembley final places are decided.
What the New UK Ticket Laws Mean for Football Fans
The UK government has confirmed two bills that represent the most significant legislative push against secondary ticketing in British history:
The Ticket Tout Ban Bill would make it illegal to resell tickets for live events above their original face value. It would also cap service fees charged by resale platforms, and prohibit individuals from reselling more tickets than they were originally entitled to purchase. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be empowered to impose fines of up to 10% of global turnover on platforms found to be in breach.
The Sporting Events Bill creates a UK-wide criminal offence specifically for ticket resale at major sporting occasions, including UEFA EURO 2028, which the UK and Ireland are co-hosting.
According to government figures, these measures could save UK fans around £112 million annually and result in 900,000 more tickets being purchased through official primary sellers each year.
But here is the critical point for this weekend's play-off hopefuls: neither bill has yet passed into law. They were announced in the King's Speech and will need to pass through Parliament before taking effect. Right now, touting remains largely legal under existing law in England and Wales.
What the Current Law Actually Says
Under current rules, ticket touting for football matches is not illegal across the board in England and Wales. The Football Spectators Act 1989 prohibits certain types of touting for designated football matches — typically international fixtures and certain club grounds — but the provisions are inconsistently applied and have significant gaps.
For the League Two play-off final at Wembley, the venue's own terms and conditions prohibit resale above face value, but enforcement is typically carried out through ticket cancellation rather than criminal prosecution.
Secondary ticketing platforms — StubHub, Viagogo, Ticketmaster Fan-to-Fan — are required by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to display specific information, including the original face value of the ticket, any restrictions attached to it, and the seat location. If a platform fails to provide this information, you may have the right to a refund.
According to the House of Commons Library research briefing on ticket resales, the gap between existing consumer protections and what fans actually experience remains significant — with thousands of complaints filed annually against secondary platforms for misleading pricing and invalid ticket delivery.
Your Rights When Buying Play-Off Tickets
If you are considering buying Wembley play-off final tickets through any route other than the official club allocation, here is what a consumer law solicitor would advise:
Buy only from official channels. Both Salford City FC and Grimsby Town will issue allocation tickets to registered supporters first. EFL clubs typically offer play-off final tickets through their own websites in the 72-96 hours after the semi-final results are confirmed. If you miss the official window, the EFL itself may release further allocation.
If using a secondary platform, check the required disclosures. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the platform must state the original face value of the ticket, any restrictions on entry, the seat row and number, and the name of the seller if they are a business. If this information is absent, you can challenge the purchase.
Know your chargeback rights. If tickets purchased online fail to arrive, are invalid, or are refused at the gate, you may be entitled to a chargeback through your credit or debit card provider under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (credit card) or the chargeback scheme (debit card). Keep all transaction records.
Be alert to social media selling. The new Sporting Events Bill, once passed, would cover platforms including Facebook Marketplace and X/Twitter. Currently these are unregulated for ticket resale, and there is no legal obligation to offer a refund if tickets turn out to be fraudulent.
The Wembley Capacity Question
The League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium is typically allocated between the two competing clubs, with each side receiving approximately 33,000 to 36,000 tickets from the stadium's 90,000 capacity — with the remainder unsold or held for general sale.
For a club like Salford City — who had a season average gate of around 3,500 — the demand for Wembley tickets will vastly exceed their regular supporter base, drawing in corporate buyers, neutral fans, and inevitably touts. This gap between club allocation and demand is precisely what the new legislation aims to address.
For more on the legal implications of promotion and play-offs for players and clubs — including wage uplift clauses and promotion bonuses — see our coverage of the Notts County vs Chesterfield play-off tie and what promotion means for players' contracts.
When to Seek Legal Advice
If you have already purchased tickets and suspect fraud, invalid resale, or a breach of the Consumer Rights Act, a consumer law solicitor can advise on your options — including formal complaints to the CMA, chargebacks, and small claims court action.
The new legislation is coming. For tonight's fans buying their place in Wembley history, knowing your rights under the law that exists today is what matters.
At Expert Zoom, our vetted network includes consumer law solicitors who can advise on ticketing disputes, online fraud, and contract breaches.
