Glastonbury Festival has confirmed that tickets for its 2027 edition will go on sale next month, but the announcement has been met with a wave of anger from music fans over the highest ticket prices in the festival's history.
The five-day event, scheduled for 23–27 June 2027 at Worthy Farm in Somerset, will cost £408 per ticket, including a £5 booking fee. That is roughly €480, an increase of nearly £30 (€34) compared to the 2025 price, and part of a steady climb since 2010, when tickets were £286 (€330).
While price hikes are common across the live music industry—especially in post-Brexit Britain—Glastonbury was already the UK's most expensive festival, and the 2027 figure sets a new record. Fans have taken to social media to express their frustration, with many calling the price "unreasonable," "insane," and "a scam."
Fans feel priced out
One fan wrote: "The last time I went was 2009. It was £165. It felt affordable, worth every penny. With inflation, sure, it should be £300 now. I get it, it’s a charity event. But £400?? That doesn’t feel right or fair."
Another commented: "In 2000 it was £87. That’s an extra £321 in 27 years. The money went up but the music went down. Even accounting for inflation, that should be about £160 today. You pay more money to listen to shit music. How is this fair?"
The criticism comes amid a broader cost-of-living crisis in the UK, where essentials like food and energy have become significantly more expensive. As one user put it: "Everything in the UK is getting more expensive & lower quality. How are people accepting this? Nothing in this country makes sense anymore."
Adding to the frustration is the fact that the 2027 headliners have yet to be announced, though rumours suggest The Rolling Stones, Fontaines D.C., and Stevie Wonder could be in the mix. For many, paying a record price without knowing who will perform feels like a gamble.
Defenders call it a bargain
However, some fans have defended the price, arguing that it offers good value compared to individual concert tickets. "It’s £80-£100 for a big venue gig now. I think £408 is fair for five days of massive acts," one person wrote on X. Another agreed: "£400 for a glasto ticket still seems like a good deal if you look at my concert spend this year."
"£400 for the whole 5 days and the acts you can see and everything else that’s in the fields is an absolute bargain," added a third.
Organisers have previously acknowledged the financial pressures. In 2023, co-organiser Emily Eavis said: "We have tried very hard to minimise the increase in price on the ticket but we're facing enormous rises in the costs of running this vast show, whilst still recovering from the huge financial impact of two years without a festival because of Covid."
Yet for many, the comparison with mainland Europe's festivals is stark. This year's Rock en Seine in Paris costs €235 for a four-day pass, Belgium's Rock Werchter—often seen as the continental answer to Glastonbury—is €315, and the Netherlands' Best Kept Secret festival is just €299, including campsite access. These alternatives offer similar line-ups and experiences at a fraction of the price.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: Glastonbury's reputation as a must-attend event is being tested by its pricing strategy. Whether the festival can justify its premium remains to be seen, but for many music lovers, the value proposition is increasingly hard to swallow.
