With a crowd of around 62,000 expected at the Vélodrome on Sunday night, Marseille are preparing for the Classique while confronting a modest but meaningful fall in ticket demand. The stadium remains one of the club’s most valuable assets, particularly at a time of reduced television income and tighter spending.
The Ligue 1 news
Marseille have recorded a drop of roughly 3% in attendances during the opening weeks of the season. It is a small decline after four exceptional years at the Vélodrome, but one that is being closely monitored by a club whose matchday revenue has become essential.
The trend is not limited to OM. Club officials note that 16 Ligue 1 sides have seen attendances decrease to varying degrees, pointing to the league’s wider appeal and the pressure on household budgets as possible reasons.
Ticket pricing is reviewed against a broad range of factors, including sporting form and travel costs. Marseille draw supporters from across France and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, and the club believes that a fuel-price rise of more than 20% has affected the calculations made by travelling families.
The Vélodrome was sold out for the season-opening 4-0 win over Strasbourg on 21 August, when holidaymakers helped boost the crowd. But the ground did not reach capacity for the 3-2 defeat against Paris FC on 6 September, and demand has also been less straightforward ahead of the Classique.
That marks a shift from the club’s recent figures. During 2025-26, Marseille reported a record aggregate attendance of 1.58 million, with 80% of home fixtures sold out and an average gate of 63,029. The previous season, OM ranked eighth worldwide among football clubs for average attendance.
Matchday receipts approached €39 million across all competitions in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. They remained above €30 million in 2024-25 despite the absence of European football. The club have also generated significant extra income through supporter-to-supporter ticket resales on their dedicated platform.
Marseille have a base of 49,000 season-ticket holders and did not raise Ligue 1 subscription prices this summer. The European package was cut by 25% following the move from the Champions League to the Europa League. Prices had risen significantly in the Jean-Bouin and Ganay stands in recent years, though not in the two virages.
Hospitality income is protected in the short term, with those arrangements locked in for three seasons and not due to expire until summer 2027. That leaves ordinary ticket sales as a particularly important area for the club, which is operating under financial restraint from its shareholder.
The commercial department has responded with combined-ticket offers, pairing major games with less attractive fixtures. Similar packages have previously linked Newcastle with Toulouse and Liverpool with Strasbourg, while this autumn’s options include PSG and Levski Sofia. Marseille have also promoted cheaper tickets, including seats starting at €15 for Olympiakos on 15 October.
A social-media video was released this week to rally supporters before the Classique. Club president Stéphane Richard urged fans to stay behind the team despite the unease around the club.
“I hear every day that people are worried,” Richard said at a Marseille conference on Tuesday. “But what do we do with that? People still need to come to the stadium and support us. This is a difficult moment for the club, everyone knows that, but it is vital that people retain some belief and keep being there.”
The next appointment in France
Marseille host Paris Saint-Germain in the Classique on Sunday at 20:45, with the club anticipating a crowd of 62,000 rather than a full Vélodrome.
Coach Bruno Genesio has insisted that the supporters’ commitment should not be questioned. He said the fans had shown “great patience, understanding and support,” adding that the situation could have been far worse than failing to fill the stadium for the Classique.
