13 August 2026; Evan Caffrey of Shelbourne celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal during the UEFA Conference League Third Qualifying Round second leg match between Shelbourne and Ajax at Tolka Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
European nights are a huge part of what makes football special, but for clubs, high-profile fixtures can bring some very specific ticketing challenges. For Shelbourne FC’s UEFA Third Qualifying Round, Second Leg against Ajax at Tolka Park, Dublin, one of those challenges was making sure tickets for the home sections were sold to Shelbourne supporters, rather than being purchased by visiting Ajax fans. This is where Future Ticketing’s Geo Blocking technology provided an additional layer of control.
Keeping home sections for home supporters
When a fixture attracts interest from supporters across different countries, clubs need to be able to control where tickets are being sold. For Shelbourne FC, Geo Blocking was used to help prevent Ajax supporters from accessing tickets in the home sections. Future Ticketing checks the IP address of a customer attempting to access the event and uses geolocation data to determine where that customer is accessing the sale from. The club can then set rules around which countries are allowed or blocked. If a customer is accessing the ticket sale from a restricted location, the system can automatically deny access. This provides clubs with a practical way to put geographic restrictions around ticket sales without having to manually monitor individual purchases.
Adding another layer with VPN and Proxy blocking
Of course, customers can attempt to get around geographic restrictions by using a VPN or Proxy to disguise their location. Future Ticketing can address this too. The platform allows clubs to block known VPN and Proxy services, helping to prevent customers from bypassing the geographic restrictions that have been put in place. For Shelbourne FC, this provided an additional layer of protection around the home ticket sale and helped the club maintain greater control over who could access those tickets.
More than just Geo Blocking
The Ajax fixture also demonstrates how modern ticketing needs to support different sales strategies within the same event. Shelbourne FC used Future Ticketing to provide season ticket holders with exclusive access to a pre-sale, before moving through an automatic general sale. These different sales requirements can all be managed through the Future Ticketing platform, allowing clubs to build their ticketing automation around the needs of each fixture.
Automated control, without the extra work
One of the key benefits for clubs is that these checks happen automatically. When a customer attempts to access an event where Geo Blocking is enabled, Future Ticketing checks their IP address against the relevant Geo Location information and applies the rules configured by the club. There is no need for the ticketing team to manually check where customers are accessing the sale from. And with VPN and Proxy blocking available, clubs can add another level of protection where required. That means the club can focus on managing the fixture, rather than manually policing every ticket sale.
Giving clubs greater control over who buys tickets
The Shelbourne FC vs Ajax fixture is a good example of why flexibility matters in modern football ticketing. Clubs don’t simply need a platform that can sell tickets. They need a platform that can help them control who has access to those tickets. Whether it’s giving season ticket holders first access, managing away ticket sales or protecting home sections from visiting supporters, Future Ticketing gives clubs the tools to create the right sales strategy for each fixture. With Geo Blocking, IP checking and VPN / Proxy blocking built into the ticketing process, clubs can put those rules in place and let the technology do the work. For high-profile fixtures where demand comes from both home and away supporters, that level of control can make a real difference.
Smarter ticketing for modern football
The way supporters buy tickets is changing, and clubs need technology that can keep up. Future Ticketing gives clubs more than the ability to sell tickets. It gives them the tools to manage access, protect their supporter base and put the right tickets in front of the right people. From season ticket holder pre-sales to geographic restrictions and home-section protection, Future Ticketing gives clubs greater control over every stage of the ticketing journey. If your club is looking for a ticketing platform that can handle the demands of modern football, talk to Future Ticketing today.
