ARSENAL have been handed a suspended £500,000 fine for failing to comply with ticket rules during their FA Cup clash with Manchester United earlier this year.
The Gunners lost the third-round tie on penalties to United after a 1-1 draw.
Bruno Fernandes had put United ahead in the second half before Gabriel Magalhaes equalised.
Though Diogo Dalot was sent off for the visitors, Arsenal could not find a winner as they lost 5-3 on spot-kicks.
And nine months later Arsenal have now been sanctioned by the FA for not providing United 15 per cent of tickets issued.
United were only given 8,000 tickets for away fans at the Emirates, which has a capacity of 60,704.
The FA said the fine will be issued if Arsenal cannot confirm they are able to comply with the rules this season – or fail to comply when this season’s FA Cup begins.
An FA statement read: “The Professional Game Board (PGB) has sanctioned Arsenal FC for breaching the 2024-25 FA Cup Rule 192 in relation to its third round tie against Manchester United FC on Sunday 12 January 2025.
“It was alleged that Arsenal FC had breached the 2024-25 FA Cup Rule 192, and the matter was referred to the PGB for consideration.
“The PGB concluded that Arsenal FC had failed to comply with the 2024-25 FA Cup Rule 192 and imposed a suspended £500,000 fine.
“The fine is suspended pending Arsenal FC’s confirmation that it is able to comply with this requirement for the 2025-26 FA Cup third round and continued compliance for any further rounds of this season’s competition.”
FA Rule 191 states for all matches other than the semi-final or final, the away club has the right to claim up to 15 per cent of tickets issued up to £9,000.
Even if the ground is not all tickets, away clubs should still be given the same percentage of tickets issued, the rule state.
But that is on the condition that the tickets are for admission to a fully-segregated area and the request for tickets is made within four days of the draw.
Rule 192 states that the home club must comply with any requests for tickets made in accordance with rule 191, which Arsenal have run afoul of.
SunSport has contacted Arsenal for comment.
Arsenal will next appear in the FA Cup in January, when third round ties will be played.
The team have played in an all-white kit in the FA Cup for the last few seasons in a bid to highlight the rise of knife crime.
The club have been carrying out a ‘No More Red’ campaign in an attempt to keep young people safe and prevent knife-related violence.
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