New research indicates that football enthusiasts and collectors have collectively spent more than £56,000 on vintage Premier League matchday programmes. The most expensive single item fetched nearly £3,000.
The study analyzed the ten highest-priced physical matchday programmes ever sold on eBay for each of the 20 clubs slated to compete in the upcoming 2025-26 Premier League season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers surprisingly topped the overall rankings, with a total expenditure of £6,327.96 across their ten most valuable programmes. This figure surpassed some of the league’s biggest names, including Arsenal (£4,720.66), Tottenham Hotspur (£4,678.25), and Manchester United (£3,703.14).
Top 10 Premier League Clubs Ranked by Most Valuable Programmes
- Wolverhampton Wanderers – £6,327.96
- Arsenal – £4,720.66
- Tottenham Hotspur – £4,678.25
- Leeds United – £4,248.31
- Burnley – £4,076.55
- Manchester United – £3,703.14
- West Ham United – £3,549.96
- Sunderland – £3,052.28
- Manchester City – £2,779.95
- Everton – £2,750.54
Conversely, clubs such as Bournemouth (£905.44), Brighton & Hove Albion (£927.29), and Fulham (£1,015.98) registered the lowest cumulative totals. However, even individual programmes from these clubs still commanded hundreds of pounds.
The analysis also highlighted the highest individual sales. The most expensive programme identified was for a postponed 1968 First Division match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, which sold for an astonishing £2,868.82.
Other programmes that achieved significant prices include Chesterfield vs Leeds United in the 1960 League Cup, selling for £1,420; Sunderland vs Wolves in the 1942 Football League War Cup Final, which fetched £1,154.40; and Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Sheffield United in a 1937 FA Cup Fourth Round Replay, which sold for £999.
Emma Thomson, a former Arsenal Women’s youth player and dedicated Tottenham Hotspur fan, commented: “For both fans and collectors, there’s something timeless about a printed matchday programme. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ leading position demonstrates the deep connection people still have with these physical programmes, showing a willingness to invest significant amounts to own a piece of football history.”
She added: “Even in an increasingly digital age, print retains a unique emotional and cultural value. As this research shows, decades-old programmes still resonate deeply with football supporters.”
While many of the highest-value editions in the study were linked to landmark matches or historic rivalries, other factors like condition, rarity, and timing can also significantly impact resale value, according to Thomson.
“It’s not always about the biggest games. Sometimes it’s a farewell match, or a cancelled or postponed fixture, that makes a programme stand out and become extremely valuable in the future. When you combine historical importance with rarity and good condition, that’s when the value really starts to climb,” she explained.
Beyond eBay, some football programmes have sold for even more at specialist auctions. The current record stands at £35,000, paid for a copy of the 1882 FA Cup Final programme between Blackburn Rovers and Old Etonians. This highlights the immense value printed matchday memorabilia can hold and why collectors and fans continue to acquire these tangible pieces of football history.