MSPs vote to back UEFA Bill which will restrict ticket resale

MSPs have voted to unanimously back a Bill that will restrict ticket resale for the 2028 European Championships.

MSPs voted in parliament on Thursday to back the Uefa European Championship (Scotland) Bill at stage three proceedings with aims to address Uefa’s commercial rights and protection requirements so that Scotland can host matches as part of the 2028 European Championship.

The Bill was voted through at stage three unanimously with 114 voting yes, no votes against and no abstentions.

Business Minister Richard Lochhead brought the Bill to parliament to introduce proposals to restrict street trading and advertising in designated zones in Glasgow during the event.

It also restricts ticket resale for the event.

The Bill will ban the unauthorised sale of championship tickets for more than the face value or with a view to making a profit.

The Bill will also create criminal offences for ticket touting, and for unauthorised street trading and advertising – and give powers to enforce the offences.

The is temporary for the purpose of the event and will be automatically repealed on December 31, 2028.

Glasgow’s Hampden Park will host six matches between June 10 and July 1, 2028.

MSPs in the chamber shared support for the Bill and agreed to pass it.

Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said: “It is right to recognise that there has been a lot of work done on this very short Bill.

“There has been serious scrutiny at stages one, two and three. It has been detailed. I think it’s acknowledged that it has all been constructive, and the minister indeed has engaged in that process in good faith – and that of course is the way to make good law in a parliament.

“Therefore, as you would expect, the Conservatives will certainly not be opposing the Bill. At this stage, we will be supporting its passage.”

Scottish Labour MSP Neil Bibby also shared his support of the Bill in the chamber.

Business Minister Richard Lochhead brought the Bill to Parliament. PA Media

He said: “I am pleased to open this stage three debate on the Uefa European Championship Scotland Bill this afternoon on behalf of Scottish Labour and to speak in support of the Bill.

Mr Bibby continued: “Scottish Labour has consistently supported the UK and Ireland hosting Euro 2028, that is why we work constructively with the minister and his team throughout the passage of the Bill in this Parliament.”

Mr Bibby shared concerns on the affordability of tickets, and said that “ordinary fans” must not be priced out of the game.

He said: “Since Scotland qualified for the World Cup last year, the cost of tickets has been part of a wider debate about the affordability of tickets.

“We must prevent ordinary fans being priced out of the game, and that is part of the reason for hosting those events is to ensure Scottish fans can access them without the additional cost of flights and accommodation to go elsewhere, and that’s why I believe we should be looking to host more sporting events here.”

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie also backed the Bill as he said there is a reasonable “degree of consensus” on the issue.

He said: “The Bill itself is a largely technical set of measures in relation to the regulation of ticket sales, ticket touting and street trading during the event and on most of that technical content, I think there is a fairly reasonable degree of consensus across the chamber.”

Mr Harvie also expressed concerns on affordability of tickets, he said: “There are still concerns about the affordability of tickets and the proportion of tickets being allocated for corporate sponsors due to their commercial interests, but the Bill’s restrictions around ticket touting are, of course, legitimate. We have already seen World Cup tickets being resold at hundreds or even thousands of times their initial sale prices.”

He continued by suggesting that the Bill could “go further” on this issue: “Football is not going to be a game for everyone if we allow a market based on price-gouging in the extreme.

“So there is action on this. Perhaps we can go further.”