Fans anxious to claim seats at the Champions League final face more uncertainty after the company responsible for issuing visas said that there was a “50-50 chance” that Russia would waive the need for the document.

The 42,000 supporters of Manchester United and Chelsea who are planning to travel to Moscow were told on Wednesday that they would need to apply for visas through a private agency in London licensed by the Russian Embassy at a 50 per cent mark-up to cover handling costs. But as representatives from both clubs met Uefa officials in Moscow yesterday it was looking increasingly likely that Russia would allow ticket-holders to enter the country with no visa at all.

Ildar Khafizov, a director of the Russian National Tourism Office, which has been given the task of processing the visas, said that his company had received about 1,000 applications so far. “I'm doing what the Russian Consulate are telling me to do,” he said. “They've just said to wait until Sunday for an announcement.”

David Gill, the Manchester United chief executive, also said that he had been told that fans would not need visas. “If you are on an organised trip, your ticket will be your visa,” he said.