That being said, tickets for this tournament will be difficult to come by and I was fortunate to get some for my Girlfriend and me. FIFA has some stringent rules to make sure fans from around the World have a fair and reasonable opportunity to attend. Since this is the first – and possibly the last – World Cup I will go to, I thought it would be of value to those who want to know how you go about getting World Cup tickets.
Where can you buy FIFA World Cup Tickets?
First things first – FIFA does not have any official ticketing agency that sells World Cup tickets. Any tour company or ticketing agency that claims to “guarantee” World Cup tickets as part of their packages must be taken with a grain of salt. FIFA’s policy is for fans to buy tickets directly from FIFA itself. The way to do this is to go to their official website and create a Membership Account. This will allow you to apply for tickets, as well as keep you posted about ticketing information when it becomes available.
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| Official FIFA Website |
You need to submit an application form that asks basic information such as full name, mailing
address, citizenship, Passport number, and credit card information. If you plan on attending with guests, then you will also be required to give their contact info and Passport numbers.
What World Cup tickets can I apply for?
That is a great question, and requires a two-part answer as it is somewhat complicated.
First of all, there are four Category types of tickets: Category 1 - Category 4. Category 4 tickets would be the equivalent to "nose bleeds" where you will be sitting in the upper parts of the Stadium while Category 1 tickets are areas located closest to the pitch. I applied for Category 1 tickets, but you are given the option to move a category below if they are still available if your requested category tickets are not.
Because FIFA wants to guarantee a fair and adequate distribution of tickets to the host Nation's citizens, Category 4 tickets are typically reserved for them. When I applied for World Cup 2014 tickets, Category 4 tickets were specifically reserved for Brazilian citizens only. There were some discounted pricing for those with disabilities or with limited financial means, such as Students and Senior citizens. Thus, I could only apply for tickets in Category 1 - Category 3.
Secondly, there are three types of tickets you can buy - Individual, Team Specific or Venue Specific matches. In my case, I applied for Individual tickets as I was indifferent as to which teams I wanted to see since Canada did not qualify. I also booked a two-week tour of Brazil during the Opening Round, which limited me to which matches I could see during my spare time as it was largely contingent on my tour itinerary.
Of course, Team Specific tickets are a popular route for those fans whose countries typically qualify for World Cup time and again, such as England, Italy, Spain or the United States. FIFA allows you to buy up to 7 matches in this case, and it is a great way to save a bit of money if you buy tickets in bulk instead of individually.
If you plan to base yourself in one of the host cities during your entire stay, then you may want to choose the Venue Specific route instead. Just like Team Specific tickets, you can save a bit of money by purchasing tickets in bulk for one specific venue during the tournament. Keep in mind, though, that each city hosts a different amount of matches during the course of the month-long tournament. So, the maximum amount of tickets you can buy is based purely on the number of games each city hosts (e.g. Curitiba is hosting 4 matches whereas Brasilia is hosting 6).
How much do World Cup tickets cost?
World Cup 2014 ticket prices are pretty much similar to the prices for World Cup 2010 in South Africa. I imagine ticket prices will stay roughly the same for Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
That being said, here are the ticket prices for the 2014 World Cup:
| Tournament Stage | Match Number | CAT 1 | CAT 2 | CAT 3 | Disabled Access |
| Opening Match | 1 | $495 | $330 | $220 | $220 |
| Group Stages | 2-48 | $175 | $135 | $90 | $90 |
| Round of 16 | 49-56 | $220 | $165 | $110 | $110 |
| Quarter-Finals | 57-60 | $330 | $220 | $165 | $165 |
| Semi-Final | 61-62 | $660 | $440 | $275 | $275 |
| 3rd/4th Place Match | 63 | $330 | $220 | $165 | $165 |
| World Cup Final Match | 64 | $990 | $660 | $440 | $440 |
The prices listed above are for Individual match tickets only. There is slightly different pricing for Team Specific and Venue Specific tickets, which most likely differ for each World Cup tournament. For Team Specific packages, expect to pay around $3,000+ US if you select Category 1 tickets for up to 7 matches. For Venue Specific matches, budget around $1250+ US for Category 1 tickets.
When can I buy World Cup tickets?
Typically, World Cup tickets will go on Sale within 12 months of the tournament start date, but sometime after the Confederations Cup. The Confederations Cup is essentially a warm-up tournament held one year before World Cup.
The difference here is that only the top teams from each Regional association plus the previous World Cup champion and host Nation compete in this tournament. This tournament is limited to a total of 8 teams. My advice here is to sign up for a FIFA Account well in advance as they give updates about the ticket Sales process as they become available.
How does the Sales process work?
A lottery system determines ticket allocation in the months leading up to the tournament. Usually, there are three phases for this lottery followed by three phases of a “first come – first serve” process.
With respect to World Cup 2014, the following timelines were applied:
| Phase | Random Lottery Draw | First Come - First Serve |
| Stage 1 | August 20 - October 10, 2013 | November 5 - November 28, 2013 |
| Stage 2 | December 8, 2013 - January 30, 2014 | February 26 - April 1, 2014 |
| Stage 3 | N/A | April 15 - July 15, 2014 |
How do I know if I got tickets in the Lottery Draw?
FIFA makes it a policy to let all applicants know their status via email or SMS text about their ticket status. However, you can also check your FIFA Account if you wish.
Can't I just buy tickets from a scalper when I get there?
As with any sporting event, scalpers will be around during the World Cup. While it is quite possible that you can buy tickets from scalpers, be aware that when you apply for World Cup tickets, FIFA not only puts a limit on the amount of tickets you can buy (up to four tickets each for 7 matches maximum), but they also need you to give the name of each guest you are buying for including their Passport numbers. Basically, the old adage of "buyer beware" will most certainly apply in this case.
Are there any other ways I can get World Cup tickets?
The other option to consider is to buy last-minute tickets (if available). For fans who purchased Team Specific tickets, it is possible for them to return any unused tickets to the allotment if their team fails to advance to the later Stages of the tournament.
Similarly, there might be situations where successful ticket applicants are unable to attend the matches that they applied for and can return tickets to the allotment. FIFA’s Ticket & Resale platform is the venue you can use to officially resell your tickets, which they set up closer towards the tournament dates.
Where and when can I pick up my tickets?
Tickets can either be mailed to you physically (except for Disabled Access tickets) or picked up at any of the official Ticketing Venues in the host cities. Tickets are typically printed no sooner than a couple of months before the Opening Match.
Well, there you have it folks! This is all the basic info you need to apply for World Cup tickets. While it seems like an arduous and complicated process it really is not. This is probably the best way to guarantee a fair and reasonable way to distribute tickets, as well as make sure no matches are under-attended.
If any of you have any other experiences or tips from past World Cup tournaments that you would like to share or if you are also attending World Cup 2014 and found some other ways to get tickets successfully, then I would love to hear about it. See you in Brazil!
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| Successful confirmation of my World Cup application! |
As with any sporting event, scalpers will be around during the World Cup. While it is quite possible that you can buy tickets from scalpers, be aware that when you apply for World Cup tickets, FIFA not only puts a limit on the amount of tickets you can buy (up to four tickets each for 7 matches maximum), but they also need you to give the name of each guest you are buying for including their Passport numbers. Basically, the old adage of "buyer beware" will most certainly apply in this case.
Are there any other ways I can get World Cup tickets?
The other option to consider is to buy last-minute tickets (if available). For fans who purchased Team Specific tickets, it is possible for them to return any unused tickets to the allotment if their team fails to advance to the later Stages of the tournament.
Similarly, there might be situations where successful ticket applicants are unable to attend the matches that they applied for and can return tickets to the allotment. FIFA’s Ticket & Resale platform is the venue you can use to officially resell your tickets, which they set up closer towards the tournament dates.
Where and when can I pick up my tickets?
Tickets can either be mailed to you physically (except for Disabled Access tickets) or picked up at any of the official Ticketing Venues in the host cities. Tickets are typically printed no sooner than a couple of months before the Opening Match.
Well, there you have it folks! This is all the basic info you need to apply for World Cup tickets. While it seems like an arduous and complicated process it really is not. This is probably the best way to guarantee a fair and reasonable way to distribute tickets, as well as make sure no matches are under-attended.
If any of you have any other experiences or tips from past World Cup tournaments that you would like to share or if you are also attending World Cup 2014 and found some other ways to get tickets successfully, then I would love to hear about it. See you in Brazil!
hi, i have a question.
ReplyDeleteI requested ticket for 2 matches of the group fase and the rounds of 16 and 8.
My request says successful, but they only charged the tickets of the rounds of 16 and 8 on mi VISA.
I don't understand if a got all the tickets i requested or only the charged ones.
I'm confused because in this post the picture of the succesful request looks just like the ticket i haven't been charged.
here is a screenshot of my request results.
[url=http://postimg.org/image/5ce0fq2rz/][img]http://s3.postimg.org/5ce0fq2rz/screenshot_00008.jpg[/img][/url]
http://s3.postimg.org/bdbpcspeb/screenshot_00008.png
I was confused by my ticket application, as well. My Visa bill showed I was only charged for 2 tickets instead of the four I applied for (2 tickets each for 2 Opening Round Matches).
ReplyDeleteThen I realized that I was not successful in my application for Match #12 - Nigeria vs. Iran. If you look at the picture I posted, it shows that my Match #12 application was crossed out in red and listed as "Allocated in the Sales Phase."
If you go to your "My Ticketing Account" on FIFA's website, and the Opening Round matches that you applied for are crossed out in red and listed under "Allocated in Sales Phase," then it means you did not get them.
i want also travel to russia. this article help me much guideline to get russia world cup ticket
ReplyDelete