It can be confusing and frustrating trying to get tickets for an event or a rugby match at Twickenham. Buying tickets to some events and matches, for which there isn’t too much (perceived) demand, can be a breeze, with tickets readily available to anyone who wants to buy them.
Sadly this is not so for the more competitive internationals, where demand exceeds supply and exclusivity takes hold. In this article I want to guide you through the different avenues you could go down in order to get your Twickenham tickets.
Some Twickenham tickets can be bought direct from the RFU, via Ticketmaster. You can get tickets for the more in demand matches: as a member of a rugby club, as a member of England Rugby Club 1st XV, as a debenture member, via a tickets resale site, as part of a hospitality or rugby travel package.
Next up I want to explain in more detail each of the avenues to take, in order to get Twickenham tickets. And to give yourself the opportunity of buying tickets for the more sought after matches at Twickenham (which do not present themselves readily); should you decide you want them.
Get Tickets Direct From England Rugby And From Ticketmaster.
As I’ve mentioned above, Twickenham tickets for events such as concerts and the less in demand matches, are made available for everyone. These can be purchased either via Ticketmaster or via the RFU’s official ticket selling platform.
I’ve listed below some examples of the type of match tickets that are usually available for purchase through these channels.
Big game 14
Dubbed as the biggest annual club rugby match in the world, Big Game 14 happens just once a year. It is when Harlequins head across the road from their home stadium Twickenham Stoop at and play a club match at Twickenham Stadium instead.
Autumn Internationals
The Autumn internationals are played at the tail end of every year unless it is a World Cup year. They happen in November and usual consist of three to four matches. These are played at the home stadiums of Northern Hemisphere teams, usually against Southern Hemisphere teams.
The ticket availability for the Autumn internationals at Twickenham will depend on the team that England is facing. However, there are usually some tickets available for purchase from the RFU.
When you’re in the process of buying tickets, a few other questions may come up:-
You might wonder what the different ticket categories mean. If you want a detailed explanation on this, then you should take a look at this post I wrote on Twickenham’s Category Tickets.
There may be many seats to choose from all at the same price. But where in the stadium should you sit to get the best view of the game? I’ve answered these questions in this article which is all about the best seats for the rugby at Twickenham.
HSBC London Sevens
The HSBC London Sevens is the last leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series and is hosted at Twickenham Stadium over the course of a weekend towards the end of May.
The Army Navy Match
With official matches dating back to 1907, this once a year match between the 1st XV’s of the British Army and Royal Navy is hosted at Twickenham. It is the final fixture of the senior XV’s inter services season. Match day is a double header with both the service men and service women playing back to back matches in a bid to win the Babcock trophy.
Get Tickets Through Your Local Rugby Club.
RFU gives priority for international match day tickets to its members. This results in at least half of the Twickenham tickets that are available being allocated to RFU affiliated clubs. The logic here being that it promotes the growth of the game (from grass roots to professional) in England.
So, one route you could take in your bid to have the opportunity of getting hold of Twickenham tickets for the more sought after international matches, is to become a member of your local rugby club. Annual membership fees will vary depending on the club you join.
And remember, by joining a rugby club, you’ll open yourself up to a whole new community. You’ll give yourself the opportunity to watch grass roots matches, or even get into playing them should you so wish. Your financial contribution for membership will also support the club.
The clubs will often run ballots, giving their members the opportunity of buying tickets. Something to take note of is that you’re more likely to get access to tickets as a member of a smaller club with fewer members.
At our local club demand doesn’t seem to be all that high. This means that there’s often no need for a ballot to distribute the tickets. Instead, it’s a simple case of asking the club secretary if there are any tickets available for ‘said’ match.
Another thing to bear in mind, is that if you have a child who plays at a club, and as such you’re paying fees in some capacity; then you will already qualify as a member (at least that’s the case at our local club). Meaning you’ll potentially already have access to the Twickenham tickets that have been allocated to the club from the RFU.
If you’re interested in joining a local rugby club you can use England Rugby’s find rugby tool to search for one near you.
Get Tickets As A Member Of England Rugby 1st XV.
Another way to present yourself with the opportunity of getting Twickenham tickets that aren’t on general sale is to join the England Rugby Club 1st XV membership. Membership is capped annually and once the cap is reached, you will need to go on a waiting list for the following year.
Although it states in the terms and conditions on the RFU website that tickets won’t be guaranteed for all members for every match; members will be entitled to ticket ballots and the exclusive ticket windows for the more competitive international matches.
The annual cost of membership is £42 per year. If you’re willing to pay this annual fee, it will give you access to Twickenham tickets that aren’t put out on general sale, either via ballots or ticket windows, along with a few other membership benefits.
Get Tickets From A Ticket Resale Site.
If you’re not a member of a local rugby club, or the England Rugby 1st XV. Then it can be very hard to get hold of tickets from the official supplier that is the RFU; for the matches that are in high demand for spectators.
However, if you’re prepared to pay more than the face value of the match ticket in order to get your bum on a seat in the stadium, on a high demand match day. Then you might want to consider buying your tickets from a ticket resale site such as Viagogo or Stubhub.
Buy Twickenham Tickets Through A Ticket Resale Site
| Ticket Reseller | Twickenham Tickets |
|---|---|
| Viagogo | Find Tickets |
| Stubhub | Find Tickets |
If you click on a link from the above table and end up buying some tickets. Then the website you bought from, will pay me a small commission as the result of your purchase.
Get Tickets As Part Of A Hospitality Or Rugby Travel Package.
If, in your quest to watch England play at Twickenham, you are in principle willing to pay that much more than the face value of the ticket, then you’d be much better off buying a Hospitality Package or a Rugby Travel Package. These are available on general sale and not as hard to get hold of as stand-alone tickets.
They are however more expensive than stand-alone tickets. Remember though, that this extra expense buys you not only the ticket. It also buys you either a night or several nights stay in a hotel nearby, or the experience of one of Twickenham’s plethora of hospitality suites.
Get Tickets As A Twickenham Debenture Member.
Becoming a debenture member at Twickenham will get you guaranteed tickets for all RFU events at the stadium. Being a Twickenham debenture member comes at a significant cost with debentures available to purchase for either 10 or 15 years.
These will cost you somewhere between £8500 – £16500 depending on the type of debenture membership you buy. Bear in mind also that ticket prices are not included in the price you pay for the debenture membership. In other words if you decide to go to the match, you’ll need to pay for the match day ticket.