As one of the world’s truly iconic footballing dynasties, it’s little surprise that there are numerous gems to discover when groundhopping in Hungary.
From Budapest’s historic “big four” to the historic provincial towns, good beer, local food, and interesting grounds are always guaranteed.
Here’s what you need to know to get acquainted.
Cities / Regions I Have Visited:
Football in Hungary
The Hungarian football pyramid consists of two national tiers, followed by a third regional tier. As of the 2021/22 season, it is structured as follows:
Tier 1
- OPT Bank Liga (12 clubs)
Tier 2
- Merkantil Bank Liga (20 clubs)
Tier 3
- NB III Central Group (20 clubs)
- NB III Western Group (20 clubs)
- NB III Eastern Group (20 clubs)
At step 4 and below, there are a further 7 tiers of increasingly localised county leagues. Tier 10 is the lowest step of organized association football in Hungary.
There are currently no plans in place to restructure the Hungarian football pyramid.
Ticket Information
In the majority of cases, it’s possible to purchase match tickets in advance online (although you may need to provide a form of ID, such as a passport number). The Hungarian government implemented a controversial and much-derided fan card system in 2014 (which included the taking of biometric measurements), but this was eventually abolished after fierce opposition and widespread stadium boycotts.
You can also buy on the gate, as we did when we attended an MTK match in November 2021. Luckily, matches rarely sell out; using 2021/22’s OTP Bank Liga attendance figures as an indicator, top-flight stadiums are only 26% full on average.
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | Avg. Att | Satiety |
| Ferencvárosi TC | Groupama Aréna | 23,698 | 8,145 | 34% |
| Debreceni VSC | Nagyerdei Stadion | 20,340 | 3,894 | 19% |
| Budapest Honvéd FC | Bozsik Aréna | 8,200 | 2,737 | 33% |
| MOL Fehérvár FC | MOL Aréna Sóstó | 14,144 | 2,452 | 17% |
| Kisvárda FC | Várkert | 2,993 | 2,274 | 76% |
| MTK Budapest | Új Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion | 5,322 | 1,746 | 33% |
| Gyirmót FC Győr | Alcufer Stadion | 4,500 | 1,665 | 37% |
| Paksi FC | Fehérvári úti Stadion | 6,150 | 1,660 | 27% |
| Mezőkövesd Zsóry FC | Városi Stadion | 4,500 | 1,609 | 36% |
| Újpest FC | Szusza Ferenc Stadion | 12,670 | 1,566 | 12% |
| Zalaegerszegi TE FC | ZTE-Aréna | 11,200 | 1,230 | 11% |
| Puskás Akadémia FC | Pancho Aréna | 3,816 | 1,039 | 27% |
| 9,794 | 2,501 | 26% |
At €8, average top-flight ticket prices are, in most cases, low. This is perhaps unsurprising given the average monthly salary in Hungary.
| Club | Stadium | Cheapest | Costliest | Avg. |
| Ferencvárosi TC | Groupama Aréna | €6 | €21 | €14 |
| Debreceni VSC | Nagyerdei Stadion | €4 | €10 | €7 |
| Budapest Honvéd FC | Bozsik Aréna | €6 | €17 | €12 |
| MOL Fehérvár FC | MOL Aréna Sóstó | €4 | €10 | €7 |
| Kisvárda FC | Várkert | €4 | €10 | €7 |
| MTK Budapest | Új Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion | €5 | €21 | €13 |
| Gyirmót FC Győr | Alcufer Stadion | €4 | €6 | €5 |
| Paksi FC | Fehérvári úti Stadion | €3 | €6 | €5 |
| Mezőkövesd Zsóry FC | Városi Stadion | NA | €NA | NA |
| Újpest FC | Szusza Ferenc Stadion | €4 | €14 | €9 |
| Zalaegerszegi TE FC | ZTE-Aréna | €7 | €11 | €9 |
| Puskás Akadémia FC | Pancho Aréna | €1 | €3 | €2 |
| €4 | €12 | €8 |
Note: All prices above are for full adult day tickets (i.e. not including discounts, youth, concessions etc.)
Useful Resources for Groundhopping in Hungary
There are several groundhopping blogs that focus on Hungary. Two of my personal favourites are:
- Kevin McLuskie: A well-written and shrewdly observed blog by Budapest-based Celtic fan Kevin McLuskie.
- Sub Story: No, not more 50 Shades fan fiction, but the groundhopping/football musings of Daniel Cochran, a Middlesbrough fan based recently in Budapest.
Rough Guides and the Hungarian tourism board also offer a wealth of valuable information on getting to (and around) Hungary.
