June 8 – FIFA has announced that 2.4 million tickets have already been sold for the World Cup, which kicks off next Thursday. International demand accounts for 54%. On Friday evening, the governing body will release another batch of 100,000 tickets.
“With just seven days to go until the opening match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, FIFA can confirm that 2,403,116 tickets have been allocated to football fans all around the world since sales started in September 2017,” said FIFA in a statement.
“Most of them have gone to Russian fans (871,797), followed by fans from the USA (88,825), Brazil (72,512), Colombia (65,234), Germany (62,541), Mexico (60,302), Argentina (54,031), Peru (43,583), China (40,251), Australia (36,359) and England (32,362) – the top-ten countries from abroad.”
Europe has just two countries in the top ten with Germany and England. Chinese fans purchased 40,251 tickets. “International demand accounts for 54%. Since last minute sales are ongoing until 15 July, these figures are subject to change,” the statement from FIFA added.
The world’s governing football body will release more tickets on Friday night, on a first-come, first-served basis, warning fans that tickets will sell very quickly. “In accordance with the ticket sales structure and in line with FIFA’s efforts to make as many tickets as possible available directly to football fans, more than 100,000 tickets, which were previously reserved for other FIFA constituent groups, will be made available at FIFA.com/tickets on a first-come, first-served basis on June 8, 23:00 Moscow time.”
“This concerns tickets for all matches and includes category 4 tickets, which are exclusively reserved for Russian residents, for selected games. Fans are advised to place their orders as soon as tickets go on sale as high demand is expected and tickets are likely to sell out very quickly.”
Fans travelling to Russia will be required to apply for a Fan ID. That ID will also serve as their visa to enter Russian territory.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713573909labto1713573909ofdlr1713573909owedi1713573909sni@i1713573909tnuk.1713573909ardni1713573909mas1713573909