2025 Cheltenham Festival Attendance Expected To Be Down AGAIN, Based Three-Year Declining Figures

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about the declining Cheltenham Festival attendance figures – with many horse racing fans ditching plans to head to Prestbury Park due to rising costs – something that has been backed up with the crowd numbers from the last three years.

Three Year Decline In Cheltenham Festival Attendance Figures Suggest More Of The Same For 2025

Attending the Cheltenham Festival has never been a cheap experience, but since the meeting was extended to four days in 2005 – this has given racing fans several dilemmas.

Some will shorten their trips and not take in every day – seeking other cheaper options to watch the action.

While the Festival stalwarts, who want to witness ALL 28 races over the four days, were suddenly lumbered with an extra day to pay for.

For many, this additional day’s cost doesn’t just equate to a ticket price, but another day’s accommodation and travel costs.

Plus there is also more the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.

Therefore, with the whole experience now a very expensive hobby – this has been attributed to why the Cheltenham Festival attendance figures have been on the decline since 2022.

Cheltenham Festival Attendance Figures Between 2022 and 2024 📉

As per the table above, you can see that only three years ago in 2o22 there were a total of 280,627 people through the Cheltenham Festival gates – which lowered to 240,603 in 2023 and last year in 2024 dropped to 229,999.

Meaning over this three-year period 50,628 less people attended the Cheltenham Festival in 2024 and more of the same is predicted again in 2025 with racing fans expected to find other ways of watching the action.

These include heading to the local pubs and clubs to catch the races.

Or the growing trend in recent years has even been to fly off to Benidorm where the Spanish bars will show the action in the sunshine – which, if done right, is still cheaper than actually going to Prestbury Park.

More and more people are heading to BENIDORM to watch the CHELTENHAM Festival as prices rise.

Cheap flights, hotels, food & €1 pints with sunshine seems to be the BIG attraction!

What's your thoughts on this, would you go to Spain to watch Cheltenham?pic.twitter.com/Wq8stB9xu4

— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) February 25, 2025

Cheltenham Festival Wednesday Often The Least Busy Day

Despite having the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the Wednesday, this Festival day has historically been the quietest.

Each year since 2022, the Wednesday Cheltenham Festival attendance figures have been less than the other three days.

With the Gold Cup (Friday) being the most attended, followed by day one (Tuesday) and then Thursday – which has the Ryanair Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle.

Cheltenham Attendence Figures 2015-2024

 

Cheltenham Festival Attendance 2024 – Only Gold Cup Day Saw More People Than 2023

You can also see below the Cheltenham Festival attendance figures just for 2024 – with a total of 229,999 people going to the track in person.

Of the four days – it was only the Gold Cup Friday that saw a slight increase on the previous year, but this was only by 685 people.

Overall, the total 2024 Cheltenham Festival attendance figures were still down 10,604 on 2023 and 50,628 less than in 2022.

Why Have The Cheltenham Festival Attendance Figures Been Dropping Since 2022?

In short – it’s the growing costs.

Without getting the violin out, back in the late 1990’s and early 2000 a ticket for the Best Mate enclosure was around £15 a day.

However, even in this area in 2025 the prices have hiked up to over £50, while the Cheltenham ticket prices if you went in the Club Enclosure is now from £100.80 a day.

Meaning if you go all four days, this will set you back just over £400 just for entry.

Add to that travel costs, food and drink, plus the ever-increasing accommodation costs – then to attend the Cheltenham Festival can run into the thousands before we’ve even talked about having a bet.

You better find some winners.