FANS ARE INTENSE-2 MILLION tickets have been sold
The 22nd FIFA World Cup football tournament will begin on November 20 in Qatar. The 32 teams that have qualified for the tournament have been divided into 8 groups. World Cup hosts Qatar and Ecuador will meet on November 20.
FIFA has released a report in this regard and said that 24 lakh 50 thousand tickets have been sold so far. Fans from Qatar, America, Britain, Brazil, France, Germany, and Argentina have bought the most tickets, Biba said, Also, the opening date for the next round of ticket sales will be announced in September, Biba said
According to the International Football Federation, 24 lakh 50 thousand tickets have been sold so far for the Qatar World cup football series.
With the first lottery held in early March and ticketing windows for FIFA World Cup 2022 opening up for the first time on March 23, fans are in the grips of football fever already. Scheduled to be held in Qatar on November 21, the sporting event is still eight months away. But football enthusiasts aren’t taking it easy.
According to FIFA, some 17 million people tried their luck to get past the first hurdle — getting a seat in the stadiums that’ll see legendary teams battle it out over 28 days. The frenzy is particularly heightened in a world ravaged by the uncertainties of Covid and the ongoing Ukraine war.
For those who have started planning to witness the World Cup first-hand, it is not only a chance to reclaim their lives but also to experience a life-affirming event. “The past two years have been really tough and now, there is a war on. But the World Cup is a chance to celebrate.
First hurdle
For many fans, it took careful planning over four years, patience, and a bit of luck to get a ticket. Bangalore-based Arvind Suchindran, a follower of Germany and Argentina, had to stay in the queue for seven hours before he could enter the final online ticket booking site.
Finally, he managed to buy three tickets for a group league match. This worked out because of a network of friends he had made during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“I had met many Indian football enthusiasts that year. We’ve kept in touch and when FIFA announced the procedure to book tickets, they started posting on the group. After my failed attempt at the lottery, my fellow group members suggested that we try to book tickets on March 23. That’s when I managed to get my tickets,” he said.
The process of getting a ticket is nothing short of what one would experience during a cliffhanger of a football match. Kolkata-based musician Prashmita Paul would agree. “I logged on to the ticketing site at 8 pm and could finally access the ticket counter at 2 am. The ticketing window stays alive for just five minutes so it’s a hit or miss.
They rejected my mode of payment twice and I had to wake up my sister to use her card instead. Now we are waiting for our fan IDs so that we can book accommodation,” said Prashmita, who bought six tickets for two matches for herself and her friends.
Love for football
For those who have experienced World Cup matches before, it is about getting to Qatar, no matter what. Kerala-based entrepreneur Somu P Joseph managed to get a ticket on March 29. “Even though I’m not sure if I’ll be able to watch my favorite team, Germany, in action, I’d have simply flown to Qatar to feel the footfall fever,” he said.
His sentiments are shared by tech entrepreneur and Brazil fan Probal Sengupta. “After experiencing the atmosphere at the last World Cup, I decided to attend all the World Cups if I could. I was rejected in the lottery but managed to make it through” he told us.
From Santa Clara, US, Udayan Bhattacharyya, will be flying to Qatar to watch the matches and bond with friends. “It’s not just for the sport, but a fun-filled trip with friends from across the world. Football is just a part of the trip,” he told us.
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