UEFA Euro 20 Tickets Refund

jgallcash

I applied for tickets for the Euro 2020 football tournament in July 2019 and was successful in getting four for a match in July 20 in Rome.  As you know the tournament got postponed to 2021 and so my tickets transferred to July 21.  In the past few months, due to the reduced numbers allowed in the stadiums across Europe there were apparently ballots that took place to see who would keep their tickets.  I say apparently because I did not need to do anything to continue in the ballot as this was undertaken automatically.

It transpired that I was lucky enough to get through the ballot and that I continue to have four tickets for a match that is due to take place in Italy on July 3rd.  

Sadly the government advice for Italy is as follows: "The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Italy based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks."  and in addition to that, as of yesterday the Italian government now impose a 5 day quarantine on British travelers.  My trip was only due to last three days in total so there is literally no way I can attend.

UEFA are refusing to refund tickets despite this and as I purchased the tickets via my credit card, I wondered if section 75 was a viable alternative at all?  I don't have travel insurance for this year because we are not going anywhere and these tickets were purchased in 2019 when I had a policy for the year 2019-20.  A policy after this time would not have covered my visit in July 21.

Does anybody have any thoughts on whether I have any recourse here before I contact my credit card provider?  Should I write this off as another cost of Covid?

dj1471

I’m afraid this is what travel insurance is for.

It’s not UEFA’s fault you can’t travel, the match is going ahead so there’s no breach of contract that S75 could help with.

Can you sell the tickets on?

It’s worth a quick call to your previous travel insurer just in case you can claim anything since the policy was in force at the time of purchase.

Barny1979

Why did you not just return your tickets in the initial period in April?

pinkshoes

jgallcash said:

I applied for tickets for the Euro 2020 football tournament in July 2019 and was successful in getting four for a match in July 20 in Rome.  As you know the tournament got postponed to 2021 and so my tickets transferred to July 21.  In the past few months, due to the reduced numbers allowed in the stadiums across Europe there were apparently ballots that took place to see who would keep their tickets.  I say apparently because I did not need to do anything to continue in the ballot as this was undertaken automatically.

It transpired that I was lucky enough to get through the ballot and that I continue to have four tickets for a match that is due to take place in Italy on July 3rd.  

Sadly the government advice for Italy is as follows: "The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Italy based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks."  and in addition to that, as of yesterday the Italian government now impose a 5 day quarantine on British travelers.  My trip was only due to last three days in total so there is literally no way I can attend.

UEFA are refusing to refund tickets despite this and as I purchased the tickets via my credit card, I wondered if section 75 was a viable alternative at all?  I don't have travel insurance for this year because we are not going anywhere and these tickets were purchased in 2019 when I had a policy for the year 2019-20.  A policy after this time would not have covered my visit in July 21.

Does anybody have any thoughts on whether I have any recourse here before I contact my credit card provider?  Should I write this off as another cost of Covid?

I think you need to contact the insurance policy that was in place at the time as the event was postponed to a date you can no longer made due to the travel restrictions imposed on the country. See what they say first.

If that is a no go, then I would then speak to your credit card company.

Can you not change your plans to make it a longer trip to incorporate the quarantine time?

Sandtree

How much was each ticket? They need to be over £100 each ignoring all the other potential issues, for S75 (don't do football so no idea what the lowest price for such things are)

Barny1979

Sandtree said:

How much was each ticket? They need to be over £100 each ignoring all the other potential issues, for S75 (don't do football so no idea what the lowest price for such things are)

The lowest band of ticket was just over 100 euros I think. 

Sandtree

Barny1979 said:

Sandtree said:

How much was each ticket? They need to be over £100 each ignoring all the other potential issues, for S75 (don't do football so no idea what the lowest price for such things are)

The lowest band of ticket was just over 100 euros I think. 

Which is £85 so immediately blocked from S75 even before we consider if there is any liability to be mirrored... obv depends if the OP bought this band or a higher one.

sheramber

The tickets are still valid and the game is going ahed.

Travel is not banned. In fact the OP  indicates that he would go, if not for the 5 days quarantine on arrival.

So there is no break of contract

born_again

No S75 anyway. As no breech of contract by seller.
Tickets are available. While the advice is not to travel, you still can.

Is there no way via UEFA to resell the tickets
https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/ticketing/#/

Barny1979

born_again said:

No S75 anyway. As no breech of contract by seller.
Tickets are available. While the advice is not to travel, you still can.

Is there no way via UEFA to resell the tickets
https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/ticketing/#/

The opportunity was in April to relinquish them, as I did for last night's England game.