Arsenal Away Day at Selhurst Park: Essential Info for Fans

Selhurst Park awaits. On Sunday, May 24, at 16:00, Arsenal head to Crystal Palace with 2,687 away supporters set to pack into the Arthur Wait Stand – blocks R, S and T reserved for the travelling fans.

This is a modern away day, and the club is treating it like one. Every ticket is an NFC digital pass, sent directly to the lead client member and loaded onto a mobile device before turnstiles even open. No paper. No print-at-home. No exceptions.

The emails go out on Tuesday, May 19. If nothing has landed by Thursday, May 21, the clock starts ticking: supporters are told to contact the Supporter Services Team on 020 7619 5000 (option 1) to make sure they’re not left outside looking in.

Inside Selhurst, there’s a clear split in how the away end will feel. Those who want to remain seated throughout are told to buy strictly no-standing tickets in the designated rows within blocks R, S and T. Crystal Palace operate a zero-tolerance stance in these areas. Persistent standing will be dealt with on the day, and the home club has made it plain they will enforce it.

Entry will be tight and controlled. Tickets will be checked at the turnstiles, and supporters must be ready to show ID when asked. No upgrades will be available on the day. Anyone aged 13 or under has to walk through the gate with an adult ticket holder aged 18 or over.

Once inside, don’t bother reaching for cash. Selhurst Park is fully cashless, with all food and drink outlets in the away end operating by card or digital payment only.

Arsenal are also sharpening up how they track their away following. Every match ticket must be scanned properly at the turnstile. If a ticket doesn’t scan, or a steward waves a supporter through another entrance, the club is urging fans to make sure the ticket is still scanned before they step inside. That small beep matters.

The reason is blunt. Arsenal receive access control data directly from the hosting club and use it to confirm attendance and manage away match points. If a ticket isn’t scanned, the system records no attendance. Any away loyalty point already credited for that game will be removed. Repeat issues could trigger further away point deductions under section 3.8 of the Arsenal Away Match Ticket Terms and Conditions for the 2025-2026 season. Photos, receipts, travel bookings, hotel confirmations – none of that will count as proof. Only the turnstile data does.

The club is clear about the bigger picture: only buy a ticket if you genuinely plan to be there. The aim is to keep the away end full, loud and authentic, not padded out by unused seats and second-hand intentions.

This season brings another shift. The old Away Ticket Transfer is gone, replaced by a new Away Ticket Exchange service for 2025-2026. It will only open once an away allocation has sold out, giving supporters a controlled, official route to move on tickets they can no longer use while keeping them in the hands of genuine Arsenal fans.

Ticket collections remain part of the armoury. Some supporters will be randomly selected and required to collect their tickets in person, with full details sent by email before the game. On the day, anyone picking up duplicate tickets must present photo ID that matches the name on the ticket. No photos of ID. No third-party collections.

Prices carry £1 and £2 reductions for Restricted View seats, with disability access tickets including a complimentary personal assistant ticket, subject to eligibility. Concession ticket holders are warned to bring ID, as checks may be carried out at the visiting turnstiles.

Sales phases apply as usual, and every phase depends on availability. Seats can be bought online, with booking fees attached, and supporters will need a valid password, email address, Platinum, Gold or Travel Club membership number, and payment card details ready.

The rules are strict, the systems tight, the margins small. For those 2,687 making the trip, the reward is simple: a place in the away end at Selhurst Park, where the noise from blocks R, S and T will tell its own story.