Arsenal have reportedly faced internal frustration from members of staff after employees were asked to pay £859 for travel packages to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
The Gunners secured their place in the final for the first time in 20 years after overcoming Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, but preparations for the showpiece occasion have now been overshadowed by complaints from inside the club.
According to reports, several Arsenal employees have been left unhappy by the pricing of chartered travel packages organised for staff members attending the final on May 30.
Employees who are not required to work at the match have been offered one non-transferable ticket for the game, but flights and travel are not being covered by the club.
Instead, Arsenal have arranged chartered packages through third-party operator SportsBreaks at a cost of £859 per person.
The package includes an outbound flight from London Luton on the day of the final and a return journey immediately after the match.
Staff have also been informed that seats on those flights are subject to availability.
The situation has reportedly caused disappointment internally, especially when compared to the approach taken by Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG confirmed earlier this month that all club employees would receive free travel and match tickets for the final.
Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi personally addressed staff in a letter and invited them to join the team in Budapest as part of what he described as a collective club journey.
Arsenal employees who do not travel to Hungary will instead be offered complimentary tickets for a screening event at the Emirates Stadium.
Some staff members are also expected to work during that screening, while others may be needed for a potential trophy parade in London the following day if Mikel Arteta’s side defeat PSG.
That has further complicated travel options for employees hoping to attend the match independently.
Reports suggest around a third of Arsenal’s staff have currently accepted the offer of tickets for the final.
The number may have been higher had some employees not been required to work either at the screening event or potential celebrations afterwards.
Arsenal are understood to have prioritised supporter access to tickets, with UEFA allocating the club 16,824 general admission seats for the final.
The club have generated around £120m from their run to the Champions League final this season and would reportedly earn a further £9m if they lift the trophy in Budapest.
Arsenal’s latest financial accounts showed revenues of £691m for the year ending May 2025, although the club still recorded an overall loss of £1.4m.
While excitement around the final remains enormous among supporters, the handling of staff travel arrangements has now become an unwelcome talking point before one of the biggest matches in Arsenal’s modern history.