Andy Burnham accused of accepting free Man City tickets and Ed Sheeran concert invite

Andy Burnham accused of accepting free Man City tickets and Ed Sheeran concert invite Prime Minister Andy Burnham accepted complimentary tickets to three Manchester City matches and an Ed Sheeran concert at the Etihad Stadium while serving as Greater Manchester mayor. The revelation raises fresh questions about his relationship with the club as it faces scrutiny over its Premier League financial breach scandal. Burnham held the mayoral position for nine years from 2017 till June 18, 2026. He attended Vincent Kompany’s testimonial in September 2019, where he was pictured speaking with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the stands. The pair also held a formal meeting at an investment summit organised by the Department for International Trade in 2021, per a statement from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The revelations come as Burnham faces pressure to disclose the full extent of his dealings with City’s owners following the club’s controversial financial case. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey have urged the prime minister to publish details of meetings and hospitality he received during his time as mayor. Burnham has told MPs that he would make all his dealings with the City’s owners public. Burnham attended home matches as a club guest on a small number of occasions, adding that the hospitality had been declared through the usual procedures. According to The Times , the visits included three football matches and the Sheeran concert at the Etihad. City’s financial controversy has dominated headlines for weeks after an independent commission found that they used sham commercial contracts to channel more than £830 million into the club. The reigning FA Cup and EFL Cup champions have denied the findings and are appealing. Burnham expressed concern about the prospect of City’s Emirati owners selling the club, describing them as a major partner in building modern Manchester. Downing Street later clarified that no football club was above the rules, to quell Premier League clubs’ concerns that politics could influence the case. The controversy also carries wider economic implications, with concerns that potential sanctions against City could strain relations between the UK and the United Arab Emirates.