Ticketmaster curbs sales by “bots” and scalpers: NFL London madness in full swing
The popular ticketing platform has suspended sales of London’s NFL games after reports of bots and scalpers.
The bots are taking over. The NFL and Ticketmaster paused ticket sales for the upcoming London fixtures after extraordinary demand was met with complaints of bots and scalpers looking to sweep up the available seats to sell them for profit.
They said that bots had been detected and people would retain their place in the online queue that reportedly contained a quarter of a million people.
In a statement, the ticketing platform said: “Tickets for NFL London Games are still available and your spot in the queue is secure. Our tech teams spotted bad actors and we are working to keep them out so have paused the queue. As soon as this is done, we will keep fans moving through the queues. Thank you for your patience.”
Tickets for NFL London Games are still available and your spot in the queue is secure. Our tech teams spotted bad actors and we are working to keep them out so have paused the queue. As soon as this is done, we will keep fans moving through the queues. Thank you for your…
— Ticketmaster CS (@TicketmasterCS) May 29, 2025
Shortly afterwards, the NFL echoed the message from Ticketmaster with their own statement, reminding fans that their place in the queue will not be lost. It remains to be seen when the sales will reopen and how the platform will combat the use of bots.
There are seven international games scheduled for the 2025 season, with three set to take place in London. In Week 5, the Minnesota Vikings will face the Cleveland Browns; Week 6 will feature a matchup between the Denver Broncos and New York Jets; and Week 7 will see the Los Angeles Rams take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Week 5 and 6 games will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while the Rams and Jaguars will meet at Wembley Stadium. Both London venues have hosted NFL games in recent years.
Ireland, Germany, Brazil and Spain will also all host NFL fixtures.
An update on 2025 NFL London Games ticket sales pic.twitter.com/H0P9xn1S9n
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) May 29, 2025
Fans fumed at the lack of action from the world’s number one ticketing service, who were either unprepared or unaware of the levels of demand and ubiquity of bots and scalpers when it comes to major events across the world.
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