Olympique de Marseille faces low ticket sales for Bilbao friendly

Olympique de Marseille (OM) has sold only about 30 % of the tickets for its upcoming friendly against Athletic Club Bilbao at the Vélodrome, leaving more than 70 % of seats unsold. Roughly 3,000 tickets have been taken in each of the two main stands, a stark contrast to the 62,000 spectators who attended each of the club’s summer friendlies last year.

The poor uptake comes as the club prepares for the start of Ligue 1, with the Bilbao match scheduled for 9 August and the first league game against RC Strasbourg on 21 August. New coach Bruno Genesio, appointed earlier this summer, faces a disengaged fan base amid economic concerns and the team’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, which have limited transfer spending.

Club officials see the low attendance as an early warning sign for the season, highlighting the need to boost ticket sales and restore supporter confidence before competitive matches begin.