In an unprecedented gesture of accountability, the Manchester City first-team squad has announced they will personally refund the ticket costs for every supporter who travelled to the Arctic Circle for Tuesday night’s Champions League debacle.
As of Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the club’s leadership group—comprising Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland—issued a joint statement confirming that the 374 fans who braved sub-zero temperatures at the Aspmyra Stadion will be reimbursed following the shock 3–1 defeat to FK Bodø/Glimt.
The "Nightmare in Norway"
The match, which took place on Tuesday, January 20, is being hailed as one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history.
The Scoreline: Two goals in three minutes from Kasper Høgh and a stunning long-range strike from Jens Petter Hauge saw the Norwegian minnows race into a 3–0 lead.
The Captain’s Red: City’s misery was compounded when Rodri received two yellow cards in just 53 seconds, leaving the English champions with 10 men for the final half-hour.
The Reaction: Manager Pep Guardiola cut a dejected figure post-match, admitting that "everything is going wrong" for City, who have now won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.
The Player Statement: "The Least We Can Do"
Recognizing the immense logistical challenge and financial cost for fans travelling to a remote town 200km north of the Arctic Circle, the players decided to take action.
The Captains’ Statement: "Our supporters mean everything to us. We know the sacrifice our fans make when they travel across the world to support us, and we’ll never take it for granted. We also recognise it was a lot of travelling for fans who supported us in the freezing cold throughout a difficult evening. Covering the cost of tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodø is the least we can do."
The Logistics:
Fans Affected: 374 travelling supporters.
Total Refund: Estimated at approximately £9,357.
Conditions: Fans stood in -2°C temperatures on an artificial pitch after complex travel involving flights to Oslo and regional transfers.
Pressure Mounting at the Etihad
The defeat follows a bruising 2–0 loss to Manchester United in the weekend’s derby, leaving City seven points adrift of league leaders Arsenal. With a critical game against Wolves on Saturday and a Champions League "must-win" against Galatasaray looming, the squad is desperate to repair the bond with the fanbase.
The Verdict: While a ticket refund is a drop in the ocean for million-pound earners, the symbolic value of the gesture is immense. For the City faithful, the money is a welcome olive branch, but the real "refund" will need to come in the form of three points at the Etihad this weekend.