Freedom of Information data obtained from turnstile software managed by Newham Council has exposed a wide gap between West Ham United's official attendance figures and the number of supporters who actually entered the London Stadium during the 2024/25 Premier League season.

The council's entry logs recorded an average of 49,567 supporters passing through the turnstiles per home league fixture — nearly 13,000 fewer than the club's published average of 62,455 tickets sold. West Ham had declared a 99.92% capacity fill rate across 19 home matches; the turnstile data places true occupancy at 78.66%.

In total, 244,870 paid-for seats sat empty on matchdays throughout the campaign.

Midweek fixtures saw the sharpest drops

The discrepancies were most pronounced during evening and midweek matches. When Nottingham Forest visited on Tuesday, January 6, more than 62,000 tickets had been sold, yet only 33,357 supporters walked through the gates — leaving over 29,000 seats unoccupied.

A similar picture emerged for the Monday night visit of Brentford on October 20, 2025, when just over 40,000 fans attended despite another 62,000-plus ticket allocation being sold. On December 30, 2025, the home fixture against Brighton recorded an actual attendance of 43,696 against an officially reported gate of 62,438.

High-profile derbies also affected

Even marquee London derbies were not immune. The fixture against Tottenham Hotspur saw 9,868 ticket holders absent, while the Chelsea match recorded 6,630 empty seats — significant figures for matches traditionally considered sold-out showpieces.

Legacy of the move from Upton Park

The data lends statistical weight to grievances that have dogged West Ham since their 2016 departure from the Boleyn Ground. Upton Park was celebrated for its tight, electric atmosphere and the closeness of supporters to the pitch. The converted Olympic stadium in Stratford has drawn repeated criticism for its sightlines, the distance between fans and the playing surface, and a matchday experience that many regard as inferior.

Combined with transport difficulties and the rising cost of attending, the turnstile figures suggest that a large share of season ticket holders routinely skip mid-tier or awkwardly scheduled fixtures — having already paid for the privilege.