May 6 – World governing body FIFA has received 3 million ticket requests for the World Cup final in Qatar and high demand to attend some of the tournament’s marquee group-stage games.
Argentina vs Mexico with 2.5 million ticket requests and England vs USA with 1.4 million ticket requests were the next two popular matches in the 32-team tournament, according to data revealed to the Associated Press. All of Argentina’s group stage matches were heavily oversubscribed.
There have been more than 2 million ticket requests from the USA, England and Qatar after the second phase of sales. Supporters in Argentina, Brazil, France, Mexico and Saudi Arabia have also requested millions of tickets, but India and the United Arab Emirates dropped out of the ranking of the main markets in comparison with the first sales phase. Fans will be notified of the outcome of their applications as of May 31.
Across the first two sales phases, a total of 40.5 million tickets were requested for the World Cup in Qatar, far outstripping the almost 8.5 million ticket requests in the same sales windows for the Russia World Cup.
Fans can withdraw from purchasing the allocated tickets if they wish, a marked difference from previous sales at the last World Cup. Given the compact nature of Doha and Qatar supporters will be able to attend two matches a day. Saudi fans are also expected in huge numbers during the World Cup. Even so, these reasons go only as far as explaining the massive difference in demand for this World Cup and the final in Russia.
Huge concerns remain over accommodation in Doha and travel options to Qatar during the tournament that will kick off with Senegal vs Netherlands on November 21.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713588045labto1713588045ofdlr1713588045owedi1713588045sni@i1713588045tnuk.1713588045ardni1713588045mas1713588045