2.3 million World Cup tickets sought by fans
RIO DE JANEIRO: Fans put in requests for 2.3 million tickets for next year’s World Cup in Brazil in the first 24 hours of Internet sales, Fifa said on Wednesday.
“In the first 24 hours of ticket sales for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, more than 400,000 fans requested over 2.3 million tickets through FIFA.com,” it said.
The biggest demand came from Brazilians, followed by Argentines, Americans, Chileans and Colombians.
There were more than 372,000 ticket requests for the opening match in Sao Paulo on June 12, and more than 344,000 for the final at Rio’s legendary Maracana stadium on July 13.
The sale began on Tuesday and fans have until October 10 to make their requests. In this first phase, relating to around a third of the total number of tickets available, Fifa plans to sell one million tickets.
Some tickets are reserved for “those over 60 years old, students and recipients of the Bolsa Familia family grant”, according to the International Football Federation (FIFA). Those tickets are branded Category 4, cost between $15 (around R970) and $82.50 ( R5325.38), and are available only to Brazilians.
Foreigners can buy tickets in the other three categories, which cost much more. Tickets in those categories for the opening match at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo cost between $220 ( R14201) and $495 ( R31,952), while those for the final go for a minimum of $440 ( R28402) upto $990 ( R63,904).
After October 10, a ballot will be held to determine the successful applications.