Manchester City booked their place in a third consecutive FA Cup final with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday. However, the semi-final at Wembley was played in front of thousands of empty seats, raising questions about ‘Wembley fatigue’ among the club’s supporters.
City have made Wembley their second home in recent years, appearing there 29 times since its 2007 refurbishment. Yet, the attendance for Sunday’s match was 72,976 — well short of the stadium’s 90,000 capacity. City sold around 27,000 tickets, compared to Forest’s 36,000.
Many City fans cited the high costs of travel, tickets priced between £30 and £150, and inconvenient kick-off times as key factors for the lower turnout. Kevin Parker, general secretary of City’s official supporters’ club, told BBC Sport: “It’s an expensive day out, and when you’ve done it 25 or 30 times, people have to make financial choices.”
Pep Guardiola’s side are set to face Crystal Palace in the final on 17 May, but Sunday’s scenes have reignited debates about whether FA Cup semi-finals should continue to be staged at Wembley. Some fans have called for more geographically sensible venues, particularly for northern clubs like City, to ease travel costs and time burdens.
City laid on 12 coaches for fans, but disruptions caused by the Manchester marathon complicated travel logistics, leading to late-night returns and further fan fatigue.
Guardiola expressed sympathy, stating: “All around the world people suffer economically. I understand completely it’s not easy for them.”
Despite discussions about alternative venues such as Old Trafford or Anfield, sources indicate logistical challenges during the busy April schedule make hosting semi-finals elsewhere difficult. Wembley’s capacity also remains a major factor in its continued use.
City supporters, however, remain passionate. Celebrations, including the traditional ‘Poznan’ dance, erupted after the win, demonstrating the continued emotional investment despite financial strains.
Meanwhile, some fans are planning further protests at the Etihad Stadium over season-ticket policies, but Parker stressed that Sunday’s empty seats were unrelated.
As City march towards another potential trophy, the conversation about affordability, accessibility, and the spirit of the FA Cup for fans seems far from over.
