This is following the government’s target dates for Step 3 of the roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions, which will see every Premier League team able to host one home game with a limited number of supporters in attendance.
This is subject to any future announcements from government which may change these circumstances; it is currently anticipated that government will announce the move to Step 3 on 10th May.
The club has been planning for the return of fans for several months, putting in place a range of protocols to ensure supporters’ matchday experience is as safe and comfortable as possible.
The Magpies host Sheffield United at 6pm BST on Wednesday 19th May and the ticket ballot process for eligible supporters will commence from 10am BST on Friday 7th May.
Eligible supporters are those with season tickets on long term price freeze deals, as well as supporters who held a valid season ticket at the end of the 2019/20 season AND continue to have account credit outstanding.
To ensure fairness, the process will start with a ballot which opens at 10am on Friday 7th May.
The ballot closes at 10am on Sunday 9th May, giving a full 48-hour period for eligible supporters to apply. We will contact those successful in the ballot on Tuesday 11th May.
Ticket information
The total number of tickets will include allocations for general admission areas and hospitality clients on an admission-only basis.
All stands will be in operation, while Level 7 will remain closed.
Pricing will be simple, with a single match ticket based on the supporter’s usual existing season ticket price divided by 19 (i.e. number of home league matches per season).
If successful in the ballot, supporters will be able to select an available seat as close as possible to their usual seating category. However, we are unable to guarantee their usual seat and available seating may not be in their usual stand.
Supporters’ credit will be reduced by the equivalent value of one game at their usual season ticket price irrespective of where seated.
Ticket ballot
With demand expected to hugely surpass the number of tickets available, a ticket ballot will take place.
Priority will first go to season ticket holders on long term price freeze deals, as well as those who held a valid season ticket at the end of the 2019/20 season and still have an account credit on their club ticket account.
An email will be sent to all eligible supporters with instructions on how to enter the ballot. Accordingly, supporters are encouraged to check their contact email address is up-to-date on their online ticket account as a matter of urgency.
To assist with social distancing, the majority of tickets will be sold in singles and pairs with a small percentage of fours. All supporters must adhere to applicable government guidance on social contact when making a group booking.
We know we have thousands of loyal supporters who may miss out in this initial stage and we apologise sincerely for the disappointment this may cause and look forward to welcoming you back next season.
We carefully considered a range of options in determining ballot eligibility and decided that the approach outlined represents the fairest and most balanced approach.
How the ballot will work
An email will be sent to eligible supporters and they will need to ‘opt in’ to the process by following the email instructions. You can find further details on relevant processes here:
Matchday FAQs
The club will let supporters know when they have been successful and once allocated to a named supporter, tickets are not transferable to others.
Photo ID checks will take place on arrival to the stadium and supporters will be turned away if their photo ID does not match the ticket.
Acceptable forms of photo ID include passport, photo driving licence, national identity cards and professional photo ID.
If supporters have opted-in but later decide they no longer wish to take part in the ballot, they can opt-out at any time by emailing [email protected].
A different matchday
As we introduce Covid-19 protocols to keep you and others as safe as possible, your matchday experience may look and feel very different.
Accordingly, we ask all supporters to review the matchday protocols in place before deciding whether or not to register at this stage.
All supporters who wish to attend are required to:• Complete a health questionnaire within the 72 hour period prior to kick off• Provide their details to enable NHS Track & Trace• Sign up to a new Supporter Code of Conduct outlining measures implemented to support our overriding objective of keeping supporters and participants safe, including maintenance of social distancing, good hand hygiene and wearing a face covering at all times, unless exempt.• Inform the Club if their health circumstances change and refrain from attending the stadium on match day if possible exposure to Covid-19 is suspected.
Make an informed choice
To help eligible supporters to make informed decisions about whether or not they would like to attend, and to find out more about the ticket ballot and how to apply, we have compiled all the key information in one place.
Please visit nufc.co.uk/return-of-fans/.
