Prices for the most expensive tickets to English football's end-of-season showpiece will cost ?115, an increase of 22 per cent on last season, despite the financial crisis gripping the nation.
Hit hard: Fans will pay a high price to visit Wembley this season
Fans of semi-finalists Manchester United, Manchester City, Bolton and Stoke will travel to Wembley this weekend, and the followers of two of those sides will be expected to make the journey again next month, hitting them hard in the pocket.
Kevin Parker, secretary of the Manchester City Supporters' Club, said: 'If you can afford ?115 for what will be our first FA Cup final since 1981, you will pay it but the reality is some people just can't afford it. Paying that amount of money for an FA Cup final, three weeks after a semifinal at Wembley, is a rip-off.
'The FA are not considering what this game is about. With tickets at that price, it's not for the fan in the street any more. I hope I'm worrying about the strain on my credit come Saturday night but there will be those who can't afford it because we're not talking about one ticket. It's two, three or four for the family.
'City didn't sell their allocation at Liverpool on Monday because people are scrimping to go to the semi-final.'
Price-fix: Fans attending last year's final would have shelled out no more then ?95
Semi-final tickets were priced from ?30 to ?60. City, United and Stoke have sold their 32,000 allocation but Bolton have about 5,000 left. The two finalists will receive 25,000 tickets each.
Pete Shaw, of United fanzine Red News, said: 'Sadly, the price rises aren't a surprise but they are scandalous. We read lots about the affordability of prices for the semi and then the sucker punch for whoever qualifies. Add hotel, travel, food and drink and you may as well call it the cost of a holiday.
'Prices at Wembley for food and drink are ridiculous, too. Every year fans face increases to fund the black hole of Wembley finances. How many more years until Wembley is paid off?'
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has criticised the continued staging of FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, though there is no prospect of them being moved because they form a key part of the plan to pay for the ?750m stadium.
Ferguson predicts 'absolute chaos' when four North West clubs hit the capital on the weekend of the London Marathon when Arsenal also play Liverpool in the League.
'There will be 60,000 coming down from Manchester, think how much petrol is used,' Ferguson said. 'I don't think the cost is considered.'
Standing room only: Fans pack into Wembley Stadium for the 1962 final between Tottenham and Burnley
The Football Association pegged their top ticket prices at ?95 for the first four FA Cup finals after Wembley re-opened in 2007 but have hiked them by ?20 for the May 14 final. The cheapest tickets are ?45, up ?5 on last year.
The FA pride themselves on being a not-for-profit organisation and pour all surplus income back into the grass roots. An FA spokesman said: 'Our ticket price structure is in line with other major sporting events held in the country every year. Prices for this weekend's semi-final ties have not changed despite the increase in VAT.'
Tickets for the Champions League final at Wembley on May 28, fixed by UEFA, are even higher than for the FA Cup final, ranging from ?80 to ?300.
Shaw said: 'If - and it's a big if - we (United) get through to both finals, you'd be talking nearly a month's wages for tickets, to stay down and go out before and after. How mad is that?'
How much did it cost to watch these historic finals?April 28, 1923Bolton 2 West Ham 0Attendance: 126,047 estimated up to 300,000Price: Standing tickets cost three shillings and seats up to 15 shillings for the first Wembley FA Cup Final. In today's money, using the Retail Price Index, this would be ?6.34 to ?31.70.Ticket price: ?6.34
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May 2, 1953Blackpool 4 Bolton 3Attendance: 100,000Price: Standing tickets cost three shillings and sixpence (?3.64 due to wartime deflation) and seats 15 shillings (?15.60) for the 'Matthews final', which saw a virtuoso display by England winger Stanley.Ticket price: ?3.64
May 1, 1965Leeds 1 Liverpool 2Attendance: 100,000Price: Twelve years on and prices stood at seven shillings and sixpence (?5.41) for standing and 25 shillings (?18) for a seat. Liverpool won this final in extra time with goals from Roger Hunt and Ian St John. Billy Bremner netted for Leeds.Ticket price: ?5.41
May 6, 1972
Arsenal 0 Leeds 1
Attendance: 100,000
Price: The Centenary Final broke the pound barrier, with fans paying ?1 (?9.84) to stand and ?3 (?29.50) for their North Terrace seats as Allan Clarke gave Leeds their only win in the competition.
Ticket cost: ?9.84
May 14, 1981
Tottenham 3 Manchester City 2
Attendance: 92,000
Price: This was the 100th Cup final and it was now ?3.50 (?9.48) to stand and double figures to sit at ?10 (?31.60). It was worth it just to see Ricky Villa score possibly the greatest Cup final winner of all time.
Ticket cost: ?9.48
May 11, 1996
Liverpool 0
Manchester United 1
Attendance: 79,007
Price: There was no standing by this stage and you had to cough up ?35 (?49.35) to see Eric Cantona win a final better remembered for Liverpool's horrendous white suits.
Ticket cost: ?49.35
May 19, 2007
Chelsea 1
Manchester United 0
Attendance: 89,826
Price: New Wembley and another price hike, with tickets for Chelsea against Manchester United going for ?80 (?86.40) each. Didier Drogba struck to deliver the trophy for Chelsea.
Ticket cost: ?86.40
?Did you say ?82 for one game? Chelsea announce ticket price hike in the week their season crumblesTevez ruled out for up to a month in blow to City's Champions League questBanned Rooney vows to make amends for by firing United to WembleySorensen seeking silver lining as keeper plans Wembley triumph
?Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Didier Drogba, Ian St John Places: Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, United Kingdom Organisations: Football Association
Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail