For a mere $21, fans thought they could snag World Cup tickets seven and a half years ago when the bid book promised an average group stage ticket price of $305. Now, only category 3 tickets are left for some matches at inflated prices ranging from $465 to upwards of $2,000 per ticket.
A group of friends in New York's Hudson Valley tried their luck during the first round of general ticket sales. Nineteen people joined a Visa pre-sale lottery, but most couldn't get through when they finally got access to buy tickets online. Two people managed to snag some category 3 tickets for a knockout match in New Jersey, only to find that their bank wouldn't let them make the purchase due to technical issues.
The writer, who initially thought about taking his family to the World Cup but ended up having second thoughts after experiencing the challenges of buying tickets, offered to sell four category 2 tickets at $1,860 each to a friend. However, transferring the tickets proved to be a frustrating ordeal, with multiple failed attempts and no paper trail until finally they were transferred successfully.
This experience raises questions about who will actually attend this year's World Cup given the exorbitant ticket prices and technical challenges that made buying them nearly impossible. The high cost of attending the tournament may push away fans from lower-income countries or individuals who cannot afford flights, accommodation, and other expenses associated with traveling to the event.
The World Cup is becoming increasingly exclusive, with a growing divide between those who can afford to attend and those who cannot. While ticket prices will likely drop as more tickets are released for sale, it remains to be seen whether the experience of attending the tournament will remain accessible to all fans or if it will become an elite event catering only to the 1%.
A group of friends in New York's Hudson Valley tried their luck during the first round of general ticket sales. Nineteen people joined a Visa pre-sale lottery, but most couldn't get through when they finally got access to buy tickets online. Two people managed to snag some category 3 tickets for a knockout match in New Jersey, only to find that their bank wouldn't let them make the purchase due to technical issues.
The writer, who initially thought about taking his family to the World Cup but ended up having second thoughts after experiencing the challenges of buying tickets, offered to sell four category 2 tickets at $1,860 each to a friend. However, transferring the tickets proved to be a frustrating ordeal, with multiple failed attempts and no paper trail until finally they were transferred successfully.
This experience raises questions about who will actually attend this year's World Cup given the exorbitant ticket prices and technical challenges that made buying them nearly impossible. The high cost of attending the tournament may push away fans from lower-income countries or individuals who cannot afford flights, accommodation, and other expenses associated with traveling to the event.
The World Cup is becoming increasingly exclusive, with a growing divide between those who can afford to attend and those who cannot. While ticket prices will likely drop as more tickets are released for sale, it remains to be seen whether the experience of attending the tournament will remain accessible to all fans or if it will become an elite event catering only to the 1%.
! I mean, who can afford $465+ tix?!?! I've got friends from Latin America who were super hyped for the World Cup and now they're like "meh" because they can't even get decent tickets 
. It's like, come on FIFA... how are you gonna make this event inclusive if only rich people can afford to go? 
And what about all those folks who want to watch their national teams but can't 'cause of the prices?!? It's just not right 
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. I was thinking of getting some tickets too, but after hearing about all these problems, I'm not sure if it's worth it. And what's up with the Visa pre-sale lottery? It feels like a joke... anyone who doesn't have a credit card that can handle a few extra steps is basically out of luck 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how many regular people actually get to attend the World Cup this year 
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. I know some of these ticket prices are super high, but come on, $2,000 is crazy 
! What's the point of having a global event if only a select few can afford to attend? It's like, what about the fans who've been following their favorite teams for years? Don't they deserve a chance to experience the tournament in person? 
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. And what about those in lower-income countries or with limited financial means? It's like the World Cup is pricing itself out of reach for the very fans it's supposed to be for 
. I've got a friend who works hard, but just can't afford to splurge on something as pricey as these tickets... meanwhile, I saw some super fancy World Cup VIP packages being advertised online 
what's next, are we gonna have to pay for oxygen at the stadium? 
I cant believe how hard it is for ppl to buy tickets and how expensive they are gettin. Its like, yeah we want to see the game, but not at this price lol! 
It's like they're intentionally making it impossible for regular fans to attend. I was initially planning to take my family to the World Cup, but now I'm not so sure... all this just feels so exclusive and elitist 
I remember when I tried to buy tickets during the pre-sale and my bank was like "nope" too... technical issues? 
. I'm not even sure how many people from lower-income countries or smaller towns will be able to afford to attend this thing now... it's just gonna be some super exclusive, super expensive event that only a handful of people can actually go to 
. The last thing I want is for our first experience at a major tournament to be some stressful, frustrating ordeal that we can't even afford 
The writer's experience of having to sell their own tickets and deal with transfers is insane! 
And don't even get me started on the technical issues with online purchases... it's like they want people to give up. 
I'm just worried that it's going to become one of those super-elitist events where only the 1% get to attend.