Manchester City football supporters are taking part in a contactless payments pilot that will see their standard season tickets replaced with MasterCard’s reloadable pre-paid PayPass cards.

MasterCard is teaming with card issuer MBNA and Manchester City Football Club to conduct the trial, which will see around 3500 season ticket holders issued with PayPass contactless cards.

The contactless cards will be used to gain access to the City of Manchester Stadium on match days and to purchase items inside and outside the ground.

During the pilot, which will last until the end of the UK football season, participating supporters will be able to use the contactless card to pay for purchases under £10 at bars and stands in the North Stand Level 2 area of the stadium.

Supporters can also choose to top up the cards either online via the Manchester City Web site, over the phone or at PayZone points at retailers. The cards can also be used anywhere in the UK for contactless and Chip and PIN payments where MasterCard payments are accepted.

MasterCard has already teamed with a number of American football teams to trial its contactless technology at sports stadiums across the US, including the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles

Commenting on the Manchester City FC initiative, John Bushby, general manager, MasterCard Northern Europe, says: “In a European first, a single piece of plastic will enable football fans to gain access to and make payments at their home ground.

“Our extensive experience in US stadiums has already shown the time and cost efficiencies this technology can bring to both fans and on-site retailers, in terms of the speed, convenience and safety of contactless payments, compared to cash.”

Duncan Martin, head of retail at Manchester City Football Club, says the technology “will help reduce queuing time and allow supporters to get into their seats for the game.”