How to get Arsenal FC hospitality? (Best ways for matchday experience)
Alright lads, let me tell you how I finally managed to score that proper Arsenal hospitality experience. Always wanted that matchday feeling without the usual scramble.
Starting Out Totally Clueless
First off, I jumped straight onto the usual ticket sites everyone knows. Big mistake. Spent ages clicking around, saw some tickets labelled vaguely “VIP” or “Premium”, but honestly? Felt dodgy. Prices were all over the shop and I couldn’t figure out if it was legit or some kind of reseller markup. Kept thinking, “There’s gotta be a better way, straight from the club.”
Hitting the Official Club Site
Next step, headed straight to Arsenal’s official website. Didn’t waste time searching general stuff. Went hunting for anything like “Matchday Experiences,” “VIP,” or finally hit the jackpot: “Hospitality.” Found a whole dedicated section buried in there. Took me a good few minutes, clicking through menus like “Tickets” then “Hospitality & Premium.” Finally, a page listing all the different hospitality packages for upcoming home games!
Faced a bit of a wall here though. Most options were greyed out saying “Sold Out.” My heart sank a bit. Turns out you gotta be on the ball months in advance for popular matches.
Getting My Membership Sorted
Kept poking around the hospitality page and saw it mentioned needing a club membership to actually book most packages. Didn’t have one. Sighed, went back to the main site. Found the membership section, saw the different levels – Junior Gunners, Cannon, Silver, Gold. Cannon seemed the most basic one available to me as a new member. Paid the fee online, got my digital membership number pretty quick.
Went straight back to the hospitality page, logged in with my new membership details. Massive difference! Suddenly, packages that weren’t visible before popped up. Still lots sold out, mind. But now I had options!
Choosing the Right Package (And Paying Up!)
Scrolled through what was left. Saw things like “The Woolwich,” “The Foundry,” “The Avenell.” Looked pricey. Clicked on “The Woolwich.” Details said:
- Seats in the Lower East Stand
- Free programme (always nice)
- Two-course meal before the game
- Half-time snacks
- Post-match access to the lounge
Price per person? Let’s just say it was… substantial. Think £450 range for a decent seat. Gulped. Decided it was worth it for the experience I wanted. Added it to my basket.
Checked out the payment section. Had to enter my membership number again. Paid online with my card. Got a confirmation email almost straight away, listing the match details and where to collect my passes on the day. Phew! Felt real after that.
Matchday Experience – Did It Live Up?
Day of the game, arrived way early. Found the specific “Hospitality Entrance” they mentioned in the email – much smoother than the main queues. Picked up my physical passes easily.
Went up to “The Woolwich” lounge. Felt proper fancy! Staff were really friendly. Meal was surprisingly good – miles better than the usual burger van stuff. Met some other fans in the lounge, all buzzing for the game. Seats were excellent, right near the action. Half-time came, popped back to the lounge for drinks and snacks. Felt civilised compared to the scrum downstairs. Stuck around post-match for a bit in the lounge before heading out.
The Bottom Line
Honest truth? It costs a bomb. Absolutely. But if you want a guaranteed great seat, no stress about tickets, and a proper special feel for the day, going official hospitality is the way. Forget dodgy resellers.
- Must-Do: Get an Official Membership first
- Must-Do: Book early, seriously months ahead
- Must-Do: Browse all packages on the official site logged in
- Reality Check: Save up – it’s a premium price
It took a few tries and a fair bit of navigating the club site, but finally getting that confirmation email? Perfect. Worth the hassle and the pennies for a one-off special game. Glad I saved up.