Kamal Ghorui
Tickets for the World Cup, which starts in North America in 100 days, are expensive — costing nearly $900 for the opening match and more than $8,000 for the final.AFP Sport explains the cost of attending games at the tournament.
How many tickets are available and how strong is demand?According to FIFA, nearly seven million tickets have been made available for the World Cup. Each person can buy up to four tickets per match and a maximum of 40 tickets for the whole tournament.About two million tickets were sold in the first lottery held in October. A second sales phase in December and January, also run as a lottery, received a record 508 million ticket requests, showing huge global demand.FIFA has not confirmed how many tickets were sold in that phase. However, the most in-demand matches include the Group K game between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27, co-hosts Mexico vs South Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.Ticket Prices Rise at the Expanded World CupThere will be 104 matches at this World Cup, the first time the tournament will have 48 teams. But ticket prices for the biggest games are very high.A fan group said tickets were first promised to start at $21, but the cheapest tickets actually sold have been around $60. For many big matches, most tickets cost at least $200.For the final, the cheapest seats cost about $2,000, while the best seats go up to $8,680.On resale websites, prices are even higher. One ticket for the final was listed for over $140,000, much more than its original price.FIFA president Gianni Infantino said prices are high because demand is very strong.“In the US in particular there is this thing called dynamic pricing, meaning the prices will go up or down”, depending on the match in question, he said.After complaints, FIFA released some cheaper $60 tickets, but these are limited and only available to fans of teams that qualified.FIFA is also selling VIP packages that include better seats and lounge access. These packages can cost between $2,900 and $4,500 for some matches.Prices May Go HigherFIFA will release more tickets from April on a first-come, first-served basis.Fans can also buy tickets from resale websites, but sellers can set their own prices. In the US and Canada, there are no strict rules on resale prices.For example, A “category three” seat — the highest section of the stands — for the tournament’s opening game between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11 was recently listed at $5,324, compared to an original price of $895. Other sites such as SeatGeek and StubHub were selling tickets at slightly lower prices.Other Costs for FansFans also have to pay for parking, which is expensive. Parking can cost $100 in some cities and up to $300 in others.An alternative for visiting fans who do not have match tickets is to go to one of the Fan Festivals in and around the 16 host cities. The Fan Fest in Kansas City will be able to welcome up to 25,000 people. In New York, the US Open tennis venue at Flushing Meadows will be transformed into a fan zone holding up to 10,000 paying visitors, albeit only from June 17 to 28.
