The number of tickets sold for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar reached 2.45 million, including half a million last month, before the final sale stage, according to what the International Federation of the game (FIFA) announced Thursday.
During the last sale phase, which extends between July 5 and August 16, according to a first-come, first-served basis, 520,532 tickets were sold, according to the football governing body.
Residents of Qatar, the United States of America, England, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, France, Argentina, Brazil and Germany topped the list of those coming to tickets.
FIFA added that the most tickets sold in the recent period were in order to attend the group stage matches, such as the match “Cameroon once morest Brazil, Brazil once morest Serbia, Portugal once morest Uruguay, Costa Rica once morest Germany, and Australia once morest Denmark”, noting that the matches of the knockout stages flocked to the fans in the selling stages. First.
In June, organizers announced “record demand” and sold 1.2 million tickets, while FIFA revealed in July that the number of tickets sold reached 1.8 million.
There are 3 million tickets available for the 2022 World Cup, and the 2.45 million number corresponds to the tickets sold for all categories (fans, FIFA partners, federations, hospitality…).
More than one million visitors are expected during the World Cup period between November 20 and December 18, to the gas-rich Gulf state of 2.8 million people, which is hosting the first World Cup in history in the Middle East.
FIFA will announce the launch date of the “last-minute” sales phase in late September, with the principle of first-come-first-served as well. Sales will start at ticket booths in Doha following the launch of the last-minute sales phase.
FIFA encouraged “match-ticket winners to quickly plan their trip to the tournament, by inviting them to book their accommodation – for non-Qatar residents – and to apply for a Haya card (the tournament fan card).”
The Haya application will allow international fans to enter Qatar and free use of public transportation on match days.