Between expensive TV packages and ever-increasing ticket prices, following your favourite football team can be a very costly affair and supporters seek to save money wherever possible.
As such, many match-going fans opt to drive to stadiums to cut costs on train and coach fares. But how car-friendly are the biggest football stadiums in England? Will you save money commuting by road or incur further costs?
Reflecting on these questions, Vertu Motors, the official car retailer for Middlesbrough FC, analysed the parking options and average prices for every football club in the Premier League and EFL Championship, using data from Footy Parking.
Continue reading, below, to explore our findings.
Which has more expensive parking: the Premier League or the Championship?
The research found that matchday parking in the Premier League is 98 per cent more expensive than it is in the Championship.
Premier League parking costs averaged out at £6.76 per game across 190 car parks, whereas Championship car parks were much cheaper at £3.42.
The EFL Championship also had a much higher frequency of free car parks near stadiums, with over a third of car parks available at no cost to match-going fans.
| Ranked by most expensive to cheapest | League | Amount of car parks | Amount of free car parks | Average price of car parks |
| #1 | The Premier League | 190 | 19 | £6.76 |
| #2 | EFL Championship | 144 | 52 | £3.42 |
What football clubs provide the most expensive parking?
With Premier League car parks costing twice as much as Championship car parks, it's no surprise that a top flight club is home to the most expensive matchday parking in England.
Our research found that Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League has the most expensive matchday parking in the country, averaging at £15 for the duration of a game.
Car-commuting Seagulls fans are forced to shell out over 200 per cent more for their parking tickets than the national average (£4.98).
Five of the traditional Premier League 'top six' also make the most expensive car parks list, with only Manchester City avoiding a spot in the top 10. 'Cityzens' pay just £5.04 on average for parking during a game near The Etihad.
| Most Expensive Ranked | Team | League | Average price of car parks |
| #1 | Brighton and Hove Albion | The Premier League | £15.00 |
| #2 | Spurs | The Premier League | £12.26 |
| #3 | Arsenal | The Premier League | £10.35 |
| #4 | Manchester United | The Premier League | £8.28 |
| #5 | Everton | The Premier League | £8.24 |
| #6 | Chelsea | The Premier League | £8.15 |
| #7 | Liverpool | The Premier League | £7.78 |
| #8 | Aston Villa | The Premier League | £7.71 |
| #9 | West Ham | The Premier League | £7.58 |
| #10 | Fulham FC | EFL Championship | £6.28 |
Which football clubs have the most matchday parking options?
It's not all bad news for Premier League fans, however. In general, Premier League clubs offer more matchday parking (190 car parks in total) than Championship clubs (144).
The most likely explanation is that there is a much higher demand in the top division for parking spaces, so more car parks are created. In fact, the top 10 clubs with the most matchday parking all play in the Premier League.
On an individual basis, it is Liverpool who lead the pack with 17 car parks located within a one mile radius of Anfield. They are closely followed by their local rivals, Everton, as well as Leicester City and Chelsea, who have 15, 13 and 13 car parks close to their stadiums, respectively.
| Most car parks ranked | Team | League | No. of car parks |
| #1 | Liverpool | The Premier League | 17 |
| #2 | Everton | The Premier League | 15 |
| #3 | Leicester City | The Premier League | 13 |
| #4 | Chelsea | The Premier League | 13 |
| #5 | Southampton FC | The Premier League | 12 |
| #6 | Newcastle United | The Premier League | 11 |
| #7 | Norwich | The Premier League | 11 |
| #8 | Manchester City | The Premier League | 11 |
| #9 | Aston Villa | The Premier League | 11 |
| #10 | Wolves | The Premier League | 10 |
Which regions have the cheapest and most expensive matchday parking?
Looking at the same data regionally highlights the cheapest and most expensive areas across the country for matchday parking.
The North East, home to Middlesbrough FC and Newcastle United, has the cheapest car park rates in the Premier League and Championship, averaging at £2.66 per stay. This is closely followed by Yorkshire and The Humber and Wales, which average matchday parking prices of £2.83 and £3.52, respectively.
Unsurprisingly, fans who commute by car to football games in the North West and Greater London are the most likely to pay out for expensive parking spots during matches. That's because these regions are home to some of the biggest football clubs in the world, not just England, and their costly car parks reflect that popularity.
| Ranked from cheapest to most expensive | Region | Total car parks | Percentage of free parking | Average price of car park |
| #1 | North East | 17 | 23.52% | £2.66 |
| #2 | Yorkshire | 30 | 40.00% | £2.83 |
| #3 | Wales | 11 | 45.45% | £3.52 |
| #4 | South West | 8 | 50% | £4.00 |
| #5 | East Midlands | 25 | 8% | £4.31 |
| #6 | East of England | 21 | 14.28% | £4.67 |
| #7 | South East | 29 | 24.13% | £5.16 |
| #8 | West Midlands | 52 | 7.69% | £5.24 |
| #9 | North West | 79 | 15.18% | £5.92 |
| #10 | Greater London | 62 | 29.03% | £6.30 |
Now you know the best football clubs for matchday parking, it's time to find a vehicle worthy of those exciting trips to your home stadium. Browse our full collection of new and used cars here at Vertu Motors to ensure you don't miss a single minute of the action.
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