After being harshly criticized for the prices of tickets for the World Cup, FIFA (International Football Federation) announced this Tuesday (16) a “special category” of tickets to follow the tournament’s matches. The new tickets, available for the 104 World Cup matches, including the final, will cost US$60 (R$326).
According to the entity, the tickets, intended for the “basic grandstand” sector, will be reserved for fans of the classified teams. The regional associations will be responsible for marketing, and they will be responsible for defining the allocation criteria and the registration process. They must ensure that the “tickets are destined for the most loyal fans of their team”, informed FIFA.
According to previously distributed price lists, “economy” tickets for the World Cup final will start at US$4,195 (R$22,800), rising to US$5,575 (R$30,200) for “standard” seats and US$8,680 (R$47,000) for “premium”.
A “standard” ticket for the group stage game between Qatar and Switzerland in Santa Clara, California, will cost US$380 (R$2,060). A “standard” seat at Croatia’s opening match against England in Dallas will cost US$500 (R$2,711), while “economy” tickets — which are expected to be scarce — start at US$265 (R$1,437).
Game ticket prices vary between matches depending on location and participating teams. Nearly two million tickets have already been sold in pre-sale raffles, many costing hundreds of dollars.
According to FIFA, since last Thursday, when the third phase of sales began, 20 million requests have been received from fans for tickets.
“FIFA, as a non-profit organization, reinvests revenue generated by the World Cup in order to promote the growth of men’s, women’s and youth football in its 211 member federations,” the entity said.
