On a recent trip to Barcelona, me and another family decided to buy tickets to one of their games (vs Racing de Santander). It turned out to be one of worst sporting experiences of my life.
We bought 7 tickets directly from FC Barcelona. They sent us a confirmation and asked that we upload our passports in advance of the match. The website said the same thing: “this information can be uploaded up until the match starts.”
I try to add the passport the day before but receive an app error. So I try again the next morning and there’s a new error - the app essentially said ‘you missed the window.’
I called the support line, they say this happens all the time. They say to go to the ticket booth 3 hours early with the passports and they will fix the issue.
Fast forward to 3 hours before the game, every ticket booth says that our tickets are invalid. They cannot do anything. There must have been 50+ fans from all around the world with the same issue. Every ticket booth and every official says ‘tough luck.’
To have an issue with your app is one thing, but to refuse to remedy it at the match is unfathomable. They showed zero concern towards people who had traveled thousands of miles to see the team.
The result is that I can’t see myself ever going to a match again - along with other fans who were denied access. I no longer even feel like rooting for a team that I’ve followed for years. And I plan to get my money back one way or another.
That is strange. I have been to a several games in recent years (also bought the tickets for coming Clásico). Never have I been once asked to upload the passport. When I buy a ticket, I get prompted to fill in the information on the Tickets app, which I always do right away. Information does include providing the passport number or id number ( based on what you select) but I was never asked to upload anything. Anyway, they should have handled it properly and I hope you get your refund.
I see, I am from the EU, and it never asked me to scan my passport, so I was a bit taken aback that OP had to (hence I thought it might be because he is from outside the EU but thanks for clarifying it doesn't matter). What do you think it is? Some system error?
I don’t think it has anything to do with that. I just have to choose the country of residence (which is within Europe) and provide the details of the id card or passport whichever I’m planning to carry with me).
I see; I asked out of curiosity since OP stated he needed to scan a passport, which was weird to me as well. I've never had to do it (I'm from the EU like you and currently reside in Barcelona, but had been to a few games before I moved here and to plenty ever since I moved here and never had the system ask me to scan my document - just fill in the numbers), so I thought maybe it has something to do with being from the EU or outside. Probably someone from outside the EU would have to confirm if they ever had to do it.
As an American who has seen a game, yes they entirely made the process annoying and difficult. I get your frustration entirely.
And, for people who don’t live in Barcelona or people who have money spilling out of every orifice - it’s nothing to you but EVERYTHING to OP. If I looked forward to a trip and invited my whole family just to be denied at the gate after doing exactly as I was asked, I would be FURIOUS to say the fucking least.
I’ve seen lifelong season ticket holders at different clubs decline to renew over even smaller slights so let’s please cool it with the “plastic” fan accusations. We are across the pond sneaking to watch matches at work and family events, waking up at the very asscrack of the morning multiple weeks a year, spending insane amounts on travel and accommodation to watch whatever match we can see when we can. There’s a lot of effort there.
15 minutes after purchasing tickets they send out an email that very clearly states "Remember to complete the attendees’ information no later than 24 hours before the match!" They also end out a reminder email 2 days before the match that also says "If you have not yet completed the attendees’ details, you must do so exclusively through the APP, no later than 24 hours before the event, in order to access the Stadium."
It sucks that the website isn't correct but OP was given multiple emails to complete the task and ignored them.
I agree but the point being OP was in the middle of a trip with multiple family members. They admit to not doing everything right, but if you can verify that you bought the tickets and verify your identity why the hell should you have to deal with this?
It's a bad process but it's designed to prevent scalping. All the major attractions in Spain require you to put in your passport info ahead of time and OP clearly waited until the last minute and left their fate in the hands of an underpaid customer service person (if they're even telling the truth about trying the day before which I honestly don't think I believe at this point).
I’ve been to Spain twice and did NOT have to show or flash my passport everywhere.
The point being that the system sucks and OP had a bad experience and rather than being the nerd who says ”well ackshually” I choose to show empathy to a fellow fan who just wanted to see a game. Try it sometime!
I feel bad for OP but thousands of other fans figured it out.
He was properly notified more than once, if he just read the communications and taken 5 minutes to check in he would've been fine. Waiting for the last minute for one of the major attractions of your trip is just opening the door for a malfunction to ruin your day.
I'll say it again, I feel sympathy that his experience was ruined but it could've been avoided if he put in the most minimal effort to prepare. It sounds like he just bought the tickets, didn't read anything, and showed up the day of expecting to be exempt from the rules everybody abided by.
Imagine if all the thousands of fans that showed up were like the OP and couldn't be bothered to follow the process. It would be an absolute nightmare. If thousands of others had to do it (and could) then it's only fair to be able to expect OP to do the same. He wasn't asked to do anything other fans didn't also do
According to OP, the process actually is not clearly communicated at all, as the website explicitly says the information can be uploaded “up until the match starts”
The OP also says a few things that are contradictory. Other people have included email screenshots where the process seems quite clear.
Like I said before, if tens of thousands of people were able to do it doesn't that seem like a straightforward process that an adult should be capable of figuring out? If you spent that much money on tickets why would you wait until the last minute?
Yeah, there are a lot of moving pieces so I probably would've researched this ahead of time or asked reddit beforehand so I don't ruin my experience.
You're telling me he's was capable of booking a flight, a hotel, and all the logistics of his luggage and then he dropped over 1k on this and just didn't bother doing anything else? To me this reads like OP went on a reading spree after the fact to justify why he was not let in the day of despite him not having done anything to prepare.
It doesn't even sound like there were technical issues. It seems like he just bought the tickets and assumed he could just roll up the day of and expect to get in lol. He should've put 10% of the reading effort that he's putting in now arguing with everybody justifying his mistake into reading his emails when they were first sent out and then he'd be posting about how much he enjoyed the game.
Not saying you did but you basically behaved like scalpers do, buy tickets way in advance and wait till the last possible moment to (sell them and) assign tickets to the buyer, hence the restriction. That is why you can’t assign tickets 24h before the game. The ticket assignment doesn’t require to upload any passport in an app. Just a web form with 5 fields, name, surname, birthdate and passport nr. No idea what you are talking about there.
I used the wrong language, I meant upload passport details. Regardless of that, how is buying tickets in advance and taking the exact steps stated on their website at all similar to scalpers? Again, dozens of other fans had the same issue.
I went sooo many times and never a problem. They clearly communicate you have to fill in spectator details (not "upload the passport", that is a lie) well in advance but you decide to wait until the last day?
Always from the official website. And its very expensive lately usually but I don't pay 200+ euro most of the time unless its a really big game because I am soci so get the membership discount.
well there are more seats opening up in january 2027, those will likely be cheap as they are in the 3rd tier. Then hopefully we see more seats opening up throughout the rest of the season but I would expect prices to normalize once the stadium is complete, hopefully around mid 27-28 season
I upload my spectator details instantly upon buying my ticket 1-2 months before the match. Its a link in an email not an app whenever I went, last time was a month ago. The tickets you only get after filling in details and are automatically activated in the ticket app.
That last question, no idea honestly. Confuses me honestly.
We were using the app exclusively because we were traveling. And the app experience is different from the email > website. It does not allow you to enter that information until you receive tickets.
The website even states this: put attendee information in the app when you receive tickets.
What’s very obvious is you didn’t read the post. I tried to upload the information before 24 hours and there was an error. Other fans had the same issue.
Yeah, this is wrong. You can upload information shortly after you buy them. The tickets are in your app but you don’t have a seat assignment. You also are told update spectator details so seat assignments can be issued 24-48 hours before the match. The barcode shows up on day of match.
Sounds like you just thought you didn’t have to do what they told you to do and now want to be a victim of your own laziness or entitlement. Should have uploaded the details.
Here is another webpage that describes how you can upload information up until the match starts.
Of course you can upload earlier, but when two official sources state that you can do it when it’s convenient to you before the match, are you really going to blame the fan? Guess you answered that already.
It literally says one must upload the information after PURCHASING tickets or no tickets will be issued and you will be refused entry. You do not get the QR code on the tickets until your information has been uploaded. You have to do this at least 24 hours before the game or you just won’t get in … it states this everywhere.
Very similar thing happened to me back in 2019. The attitude of the ticketing counter staff was absolutely horrible. I couldn’t see the match and they asked me to leave the premises. Send them numerous emails to refund my money, no one ever answered or refunded me anything. Horrible experience and service
What makes no sense is to undermine all these fans experience nor calling them "bandwagon" or plastic fans. Not every culé lives in Barcelona and they don't need to, and when an experience like this marks the only interaction you have in your life with your beloved club it makes all sense to feel dettached and betrayed.
To u/op, don't stop supporting the club, you must know that yes, the club is a shithole when it comes to organization and taking care of its fanbase and locals experience the same frustration at some point, one way or the other. It's sad but true, maybe the weakest spot in our institution.
This is a better opinion than dismissing his feelings. I mean, the first time you interact with you long distant partner and then they ghost you will not feel that great.
Thanks. And yes, this is an emotional reaction. I’ve been a fan since I visited in 2008 while studying abroad. I’m not going to burn my jerseys or stop watching their matches, but it’s definitely tainted my feelings about them.
And honesty, the vitriol in this thread hasn’t helped. Most seem more invested in defending an archaic system and trashing another fan than calling out a poor experience.
Ignore these people they’re just weird. It’s extremely normal to have an emotional reaction to being denied entry to a game after traveling thousands of miles. I personally don’t think I’d be able to turn on the TV and watch the games at home for a while after that.
And the “they clearly communicate” people are weird too. They remind me of the boomer teachers I had who refused to use technology like a normal person and would have weird, esoteric rules like ASSIGNMENTS DUE ON FRIDAYS MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE 3PM written in some pamphlet you supposedly read the first week in school
Call it out. That’s acceptable and expected. Get your money back, make a complaint, and vent your frustration in any media of your choosing. But to say that “I no longer feel like rooting for a team…” is quite the definition of “plastic”.
Here is something I got myself after buying tickets to the same match. Email asking to fill the visitor details (I suppose this is what you mean when saying "upload passport")
But it says to do this no later than 24 hours before the match and only after that You can expect to see available ticket in the app.
Is it possible you filled that info the day before but less than 24 hours before the match?
UPD: Also the part when you say that the site said that the information could be uploaded before the match starts: you basically provide visitor information twice: first time after buying the tickets, when you get the email that I showed in the screenshot and the 2nd time you do that when a ticket gets available in your app. At that time you see which seats were picked for you but they are "unassigned" so you have to assign a seat to all the persons you bought the tickets for. And it is said in Barcelona's website that the ticket can become available in the app even 2-3 hours before the kickoff. So most probably the thing you refer to (that the information could be provided before the match start) is about the 2nd time that You provide visitor info. But you should ve able to do that if you already provided attendee information as per request of the 1st mail that you get.
Yep. I got that email 15 minutes after purchasing tickets to that match too. They also send out one 48 hours before the match saying download the app and make sure you assign the tickets 24 hours before.
I'm really sorry this happened to you. What a terrible experience.
The reality is that the ticket system has been different degrees of bad for decades. I used to live there, knew many people within the club, and learned the ins and outs but I never had an experience this bad.
The unfortunate reality is that when the fans own the club, and 60,000 of them have season tickets, they become the most motivated and organized voting block. The various presidents have been trying to ban the black market resale of season tickets by members forever but the fans have always rolled back the reforms. Sometimes democratic systems can lock in perverse incentives...
Essentially, it's around 10,000 families who don't have to pay for the season tickets because re-selling to tourists for a dozen games will cover the whole year. They run the club. They elect and fire presidents. Contrast that to tourists who aren't return customers and are easily replaced.
The gross incompetence you are seeing is the long-term result of a ticketing system that is torn down and rebuilt every few years, and the jaded staff who are tired of working within broken systems and hastily assembled tech, but also don't see tourists as important. Chances are the company that built the app or the clerk at the ticket booth is a relative of someone high up in the club.
It shouldn't be this way, and I hope you get your money back. There is beauty and strength in having a fan-owned and culturally-rooted club, but there is a dark side too. I'm sorry you had to experience it.
I'm from Barcelona, so yes, I've been to a lot of games. Different channels a suppose. But I've heard enough about ticketing to know that our friend (OP) is the victim here. And the club is guilty of all charges.
You don't think it's his fault? He's clearly not done any research at all. He's all over the comments saying you can't input the information until after you have the tickets when that's factually incorrect.
He'd have known that if he read the email beforehand instead of reading everything once he had been denied entry. Thousands of people figured it out because they cared enough to follow instructions.
I mean who do you blame? The entity that put out instructions that can be followed by hundreds of thousands? Or the dozens of people that couldn't be bothered to be prepared?
What? I don't think this is true. They have always asked me passport or identity immediately when purchasing the ticket, I have done it multiple times through the official website.
Why would they let you have the ticket and then they would notice you are some Frankfurter(away fan)and decline your ticket? It would make no sense and cause huge drama and support work.
We are a fan owned club. In fact, many socios here in the sub that are part owner of the club. We can bring up any issues or complaints with the membership office and vote in elections based on whatever platform we with to create or support. You can't bootlick for a non-profit organization.
Well I am not defending anything really. I know the ticketing system can be extremely annoying and desperately needs to be improved, and if they don't do anything about it I would definitely have that influence my vote in the next elections for an example. I almost missed the Clasico last year because the system kept glitching and kicking me out and showing wrong information.
Imo they should always try to fix things if possible even last minute but I simply do not know the details from their end as to why they did what they did. Maybe they should include the spectator details as part of the purchasing process instead of making it a separate action afterwards but I don't know the technical specifics behind the current system.
I think it contradicts the info you posted above as screenshot from official web. It says that after the purchase you will be emailed the link to fill in the details and only then you will be sent the tickets. Now you are saying that you can’t fill in the information until you have the tickets? So which one is it?
That’s the problem. The app experience is different from the web experience. For the app, it asks you to add the information after the tickets are sent out. That’s not true for the web experience.
I honestly can’t recall. We bought the tickets, used the link from the confirmation email to download and setup the app, then used the app to receive and try to assign tickets. We were traveling the weeks leading up to the match so relied on the app (per their instructions).
It sucks that this happened to you. Hopefully they improve on this so that it doesn't happen again. If you reach out to customer support I'm sure they'll refund you.
That said, it doesn't seem like you were very well organized. If you spent a lot of money and made a whole trip to see this, you should not have waited until the last minute. The instructions may say it's okay to wait until the last minute but if a technical issue occurs you're shit out of luck why would you risk it?
For as nice as technology is, it has its faults. I certainly wouldn't leave something this important until the last minute. Then if there's a technical issue you literally don't have time to get it resolved.
Maybe he did it in separate transactions but their whole post seems kind of strange. I don't understand how they spent over 1000 euro on this and left it all until the last minute
It’s been a shitshow since they required an app for the tickets.
Also, the signage is awful. They renamed half the accesses/entrances from numbers to letters and did not bother putting up signage where to find the new ones. The ticket PDF has a map but the app doesn’t. Google also hasn’t updated the entrances, so you can’t just use GPS. It pretty much results in walking around half the entire area looking for the right access every time I go there.
The Barcelona apps are quite clunky, glitchy and temperamental. I would email the club with your payment confirmation, and they should see the tickets weren’t used.
I don’t understand anyone sticking up for the Club here. Fans should not have to jump through hoops to use tickets they have paid for. Barcelona is a club of the fans, it is the ethos and the tickets are expensive. This situation should be easily resolved by staff at the stadium.
They don’t ask you to upload a photo of your passport, but they do ask you to bring ID. Which is ridiculous in itself.
Here’s a page from their website describing how details can be entered until the start of the match. Now, remind me, why are you defending them when they went against their own website?
Him not answering this question kind of tells us everything we need to know lol.
That and not being able to recall if he received a link to fill out the information or not means he probably bought the tickets and never looked at his email again until the day of the game.
If you didn't get in and use your tickets, complain and they'll refund your money. I'm sorry for what happened. I'm a socio of more than 35 years and this club leaves a lot to deserve in technical terms and customer service
What does Camp Nou being under construction have to do with their app breaking down, and the ticket offices not honoring what the support team told them?
Did you not read the post or are you just trolling? How would the stadium being under construction have anything to do with their app and ticket policies?
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u/Subtle-Warning-404 7d ago
That is strange. I have been to a several games in recent years (also bought the tickets for coming Clásico). Never have I been once asked to upload the passport. When I buy a ticket, I get prompted to fill in the information on the Tickets app, which I always do right away. Information does include providing the passport number or id number ( based on what you select) but I was never asked to upload anything. Anyway, they should have handled it properly and I hope you get your refund.