Tickets to the FIFA World Cup are less expensive than IPL tickets
Organizers are lowering ticket prices as Indian fans flock to Qatar.
Later this year, tickets to a FIFA World Cup group game in Qatar will be less expensive than watching live IPL action at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. While a fan will pay 250 Qatari Rial (approximately Rs 5,211 in Indian currency) for a game between Spain and Germany in the league. The price of mid-level tickets for an IPL match at the Wankhede is nearly double that.
In addition, the cheapest ticket for the world’s most popular sport’s biggest game. The World Cup final, will cost Rs 45,828. This is only Rs 10,000 more than the most expensive IPL match ticket.
The combination of low-cost tickets and unprecedented geographical proximity to the World Cup host country has sparked exceptional Indian interest in ticket sales, which began last week.
India had the seventh-highest number of ticket applications in the first round of sales. “India provides a goldmine of absolutely 1st-class football supporters,” says John Parker of BH Hospitality, an official FIFA partner. We all know about India’s love of cricket, but I believe the rest of the world is waking up to its love of football.”
“If I was three hours away from football’s biggest festival… the chances of you being that compact to the World Cup without hosting it are almost nil.”
Fans complain about start stuck in an online queue for hours before the FIFA portal allow them to apply for tickets. Ticket sales began on April 5 and will continue until April 28. FIFA has stated that the results of the random selection draw will be made public by May 31 and that a lottery system will decide on applications.
Ticket prices for the first matches, except the opener, have not been this low since the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Qatar has gone above and beyond for locals. Charging only 40 QAR (Rs 834) for group-stage tickets – the lowest price a host nation has been accused of home fans since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
