Over 800,000 tickets already sold, 1.8 million requests for the final

According to FIFA, 804,186 tickets for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar were purchased during the first sales phase which opened on January 19. In a press release, the body adds that the “10 most demanding countries [ont été] Qatar, United States, England, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Germany, India, Brazil, Argentina and Saudi Arabia”. The competition is due to take place from November 21 to December 18.

17 million tickets had been requested in twenty days during this first phase, FIFA announced on February 8, but there will only be a little more than two million tickets actually available for the first World Cup organized in a Arab country. The final, scheduled for December 18, is the match that aroused the most enthusiasm with 1.8 million requests.

Preferential prices for residents of Qatar

According to the terms of sale put in place by the organizers, a lottery system allows international candidates to buy tickets for a price starting at 69 dollars (61 euros) for the group stage matches. Residents of Qatar have access to a preferential price category that starts at 11 dollars, or less than 10 euros. The price of a sesame for the final can reach 1,607 dollars, around 1,400 euros. FIFA hopes to raise more than $500 million from tickets, broadcasting rights and other commercial revenue from the World Cup.

The next phase of sales will open on April 5 at 11 a.m. (French time), after the draw for the final phase of the World Cup which will take place this Friday at 6 p.m. (French time) in Doha. “During this next phase of sales, supporters will therefore be able to choose their tickets according to the match schedule”, specifies FIFA.