SA Rugby Drops Prices of Ticket Ahead of Springboks vs England Clash at Ellis Park

Concerns have grown in recent days over the pace of ticket sales for the Springboks' opening Test of 2026 against England at Ellis Park, with fears that the iconic venue could have plenty of empty seats on matchday.

Just over a week ago, only around 21,000 tickets had been purchased for the 62,000-seat stadium. Many supporters blamed the disappointing demand on high ticket prices, arguing that a family of four could easily spend more than R5,000 once tickets, transport, meals and refreshments were included.

At that stage, the majority of available tickets were priced between R950 and R3,000.

As kickoff draws closer, however, fans have spotted a noticeable change, with large sections of the stadium now offering seats for R650, making attendance considerably more affordable.

The remaining ticket categories are currently available at R950, R1,750, R2,350 and R3,000.

SA Rugby has not issued an official statement explaining the revised pricing structure. Meanwhile, several supporters who purchased tickets before the adjustment have expressed frustration, believing they have reason to feel unfairly treated after paying higher prices.

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SA Rugby hopeful of late surge in sales

Ahead of the 2026 season, SA Rugby had promised that more affordable tickets would be made available for the inaugural Nations Championship Tests on home soil.

Although lower-priced tickets were released, they were available only in limited numbers and sold out quickly, leaving fans with mostly higher-priced options.

Responding to concerns over the slow sales for the Ellis Park clash, an SA Rugby spokesperson told Rapport that the governing body remained optimistic about a late increase in demand.

"The impact of the war in Iran has undoubtedly had an impact on everyone's pockets, which is reflected in the retail industry as well as in ticket sales.

"We hope to get close to the historical average attendance against England in South Africa, which is 91% of the stadium's capacity."

Source: Briefly News