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Tickets for next summer's World Cup games in Vancouver and Toronto remain hot sellers despite eye-popping resale prices.
Soccer's international governing body announced last week that more than two million tickets have been sold for the tournament's 104 games, which will take place in Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Tickets for seven games in Vancouver and six in Toronto sold out almost as quickly as they were sold out, although the teams participating in the matches will not be announced until the final draw on Friday.
How many tickets were sold was not disclosed because organizers are still processing ticket requests from participating federations, said Peter Montopoli, Canada's chief tournament director.
“I can say with confidence that based on the tickets that were collected for the Visa pre-sale and early ticket drawing, we sold 100 percent of those tickets. So, everything that was available was sold.”
How many tickets will be available going forward will depend on what tickets participating member associations, such as Canada Soccer, receive, he added.
However, so far so good.
Montopoli, the former secretary general of Canada's national soccer team, said he was “thrilled” by the demand for tickets.
Montopoli should know. He said that to date his name had not been chosen for either of the two drawings, although the second drawing was aimed at potential buyers from co-host countries, which was initiated by Canada.
Canadian fans ranked second in ticket sales
Others in his office also refused.
“And we know the people,” Montopoli said with a laugh.
FIFA said fans from 212 countries and territories have bought tickets so far, with the US fans snapping up the most, followed by Canada and then Mexico. They were also popular among people in England, Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Argentina and France.
Fans must be selected in a lottery to be able to purchase tickets. They are then assigned a limited window during which they can purchase tickets based on availability.
FIFA said tickets for group stage matches will start at US$60 and rise to US$6,730 for the most expensive seats at the championship game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
Prices are also rising for highly coveted matches in Canada, including the country's first group stage game in Toronto on June 12. The cost of participation in this match at the first stage of sales started at $500.
A survey released by the Angus Reid Institute last month found that 71 per cent of Canadians surveyed said ticket prices were too high for them to attend the World Cup. Among respondents who said they were “very interested” in watching the tournament, 84 percent said the price was too high.
FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani listened to complaints about prices.
“When you're in the market, it's the market that dictates the ticket prices,” said Montagliani, a Canadian who is also CONCACAF president.
“At the end of the day, this is a professional sport. We just follow what's on the market.”
Profits will help build stadiums and development programs
FIFA has a “fiduciary duty” to make money from the World Cup, as 85 percent of those funds are returned to member countries, who use them to support and develop the sport, he added.
“It all happens because of one tournament – this. There is no other tournament that brings in such money. Or any money at all, to be honest,” Montagliani said. “So this tournament feeds 211 countries and everything that happens there for the next four years.
“People are losing track of this. They think it's just sitting in a bank account. It doesn't just sit in a bank account. It goes away and builds stadiums and development programs.”
Football fans who miss out on the lottery can turn to the secondary market, where costs rise exponentially.
The cheapest ticket for a group match in Vancouver on June 13 – the first game the city will host – was sold for C$798.10 on FIFA's resale site on Tuesday. It cost at least $1,765.74 to attend Canada's first game in Toronto on June 12.
Prices on other resale sites were slightly lower, with StubHub offering tickets for the June 13 game in Vancouver at a bargain price of $481. A ticket to the Toronto game remains a luxury ticket priced at a minimum of $1,382.
An Angus Reid poll found the majority of Canadians are willing to make money on World Cup tickets, with 52 per cent of those surveyed saying if they were given two tickets they would try to sell them to get cash.
Football fans who haven't yet taken their seats may be in luck whether they want to watch the game themselves or make some money from it.
The next stage of FIFA ticket sales will begin with a random draw, which will run from December 11 to January 13.
