Harry Styles fans have expressed their frustration after ticketing and turnstile issues left some concertgoers “locked out” of the singer's historic Wembley Stadium residency. The 32-year-old Brit Award winner kicked off the UK leg of his Together, Together world tour with two sold-out shows at the London venue on Friday and Saturday, supported by Shania Twain.
While thousands enjoyed the opening nights of Styles' 12-date Wembley run, some concert-goers have since taken to social media to detail problems at the turnstiles. Among them was journalist and Unscripted founder Saskia Marriott, who traveled from Manchester for the show and said a malfunctioning turnstile nearly left her locked out despite holding valid tickets.
Speaking on TikTok, Marriott explained that after scanning two tickets on her phone, her friend attempted to pass through the turnstile, which failed to rotate fully. The presenter, whose video has been viewed almost 630,000 times, urged fans who hold multiple tickets on one account to be cautious when entering the venue. “If you're the ticket holder and the tickets are in your name, make sure your friends go through the barriers before you do,” she said.
When she then scanned her own ticket, the barrier locked, leaving her outside while her friend was inside the stadium. Speaking to The Standard, Marriott said a steward informed her the problem had already affected multiple people at the same gate. “She radioed the ticket office and said, ‘This isn't the first girl this has happened to. This keeps happening at this gate. It needs to be addressed,’” the red carpet reporter recalled.
Directed to the Wembley box office, Marriott praised Ticketmaster staff for resolving the issue but questioned why a backup process was not in place if turnstile failures were known about. She shared: “The woman from Ticketmaster was really helpful. I had my ID and the email linked to my account, and they were able to print me a replacement ticket.” “It's more of a warning,” she told us. “Imagine if you've got kids. You can't just leave a seven-year-old on one side of the barrier for 20 minutes.”
Two other TikTok videos, which have amassed a combined 280,000 views, also show concertgoers encountering the same turnstile issue, although both were ultimately able to gain entry after an initial delay. However, not every fan reported the same outcome. One concertgoer who traveled from Cornwall claimed she was turned away after encountering an issue at the turnstiles.
In a viral TikTok video, Poppy Brown said she scanned her ticket before handing her phone to her mother to scan the second ticket. When the turnstile jammed, she was directed to the box office but alleged she was told the tickets could not be reissued and was advised to purchase new tickets via a QR code. While the fan added that she provided her booking confirmation and identification, she had bought her tickets via a second-hand vendor so was ultimately unable to get them reissued.
Collectively, the four videos have amassed more than 1.8 million views and attracted over 1,100 comments, with dozens of concertgoers sharing similar experiences and raising questions about entry procedures during the opening weekend of Styles' 12-night Wembley residency. Commenting under the posts, one claimed: “the girls next to me were having this problem and one of them asked me if i could scan my ticket and we went through the turnstile together.” “this is at least the third time i've seen this exact issue this is unacceptable,” another alleged.
A third warned: “I got stuck halfway through and couldn’t go back or forwards. I scanned my ticket again and pushed hard and it finally released but was scary as i get anxiety about being trapped. Have heard so many other people had issues too.”
It is worth noting that not all of the fans sharing their experiences online specified whether their tickets were purchased directly through Ticketmaster or via a resale platform. Tickets bought through unofficial secondary marketplaces can be vulnerable to duplication, cloning, or fraud.
Although the issue appears to have affected only a small number of fans during Harry Styles' opening Wembley shows, those attending the remaining dates should be aware of Wembley Stadium's guidance should they encounter any problems at the turnstiles. Wembley Stadium advises concertgoers to take their time when scanning tickets at the turnstiles. Fans should wait for the green light before attempting to enter and ensure the barrier has fully reset and locked after the person in front has passed through before scanning their own ticket.
If the screen displays a red light or a ticket fails to scan, fans should seek assistance from the box office or a member of staff rather than attempting to pass through. As Marriott advised, those holding multiple tickets on one account may also want to consider entering last. If a ticketing issue arises, only the original purchaser can have tickets reissued, provided they can verify the booking with identification and the email linked to their account.
It is also recommended to transfer digital tickets to each member of the party before arriving at the stadium, as mobile signal and Wi-Fi can be limited around the venue on event days. The Standard has contacted a rep for Harry Styles, Wembley Stadium, Ticketmaster, and LiveNation for comment.
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