May 8 – Never mind if the Maracana will be open on time, it looks like the fans will be turning up whether it is ready or not. FIFA reports that tickets for the Confederation Cup are selling well with 71.2% of the total inventory for the tournament now sold.
The target was to beat the 83% of tickets for the 2005 ‘Festival of Champions’. In actual numbers, 588,178 tickets out of a total inventory of 826,628 have been sold. The tournament kicks off in Brasilia in 38 days and FIFA is confident that the target will be easily beaten.
FIFA says about 97%of the tickets have been bought by Brazilians.
There are now nine more days to purchase tickets on www.FIFA.com/ticketing with the current sales phase will close on 15 May 2013 at 16:00 CET.
The remaining tickets when this phase closes, subject to availability, will be sold during the last-minute-sales phase both online via FIFA.com/ticketing and over the counter at one of the six FIFA Venue Ticketing Centres, starting on June 1, 2013.
The ticket sales process has not been without its challenges for FIFA. “Due to delayed stadium deliveries, we are only now in the position to conduct the seat allocations in each of the venues,” said FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil.
“Yet we are very confident that we will break another record for the FIFA Confederations Cup, with the Brazilians providing the global TV audience with a glimpse of what kind of stadium atmosphere to expect in 2014: full stands and a great reception for all teams in return for football at its best on the pitch.”
The Coinfederations Cup will feature four FIFA World Cup champions in Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Uruguay alongside Mexico, Japan, Nigeria and international tournament newcomers Tahiti.
Match-by-match summary of the tickets sold to date:
Opening match: Brazil v. Japan in Brasilia: 57,854
Match 2: Mexico v.Italy in Rio de Janeiro: 63,384
Match 3: Spain v. Uruguay in Recife : 34,356
Match 4: Tahiti v. Nigeria in Belo Horizonte: 10,029
Match 5: Brazil v. Mexico in Fortaleza: 47,485
Match 6: Italy v. Japan in Recife: 27,125
Match 7: Spain v. Tahiti in Rio de Janeiro: 49,432
Match 8: Nigeria v. Uruguay in Salvador: 22,682
Match 9: Italy v. Brazil in Salvador: 41,407
Match 10: Japan v. Mexico in Belo Horizonte: 26,291
Match 11: Nigeria v. Spain in Fortaleza: 32,672
Match 12: Uruguay v. Tahiti in Recife: 15,970
Semi-final in Belo Horizonte: 44,460
Semi-final in Fortaleza: 31,607
Match for third place in Salavdor: 22,680
Final in Rio de Janeiro: 60,744
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