By Andrew Warshaw
July 22 – Ticket prices for next year’s World Cup in Brazil have been kept as low as possible, say FIFA, in a move the authorities hope will appease local Brazilian fans angered about the costs of staging the event. Of the three million tickets on sale, 400,000 will be available at a discount to Brazilians, with the cheapest costing around $30.
Additionally, for the first time in more than 60 years, FIFA is offering half-price tickets starting at $15 to Brazilian students and senior citizens, and those on the country’s welfare programme.
Overseas fans will pay $90, however, for the cheapest full-price tickets for the first round of matches, $10 more than at the World Cup in South Africa.
“This will be the second time in FIFA’s history that there will be discounts on certain tickets,” said Thierry Weil, FIFA’s marketing director. “This had only happened in the 1950 World Cup, also held in Brazil, showing that Brazilian government is a good negotiator.”
In June, anti-government protests about lack of public services erupted in cities across Brazil, linked in part to the cost of hosting the World Cup, which stands at around $12.5 billion, $3.8 billion of which has gone into building or refurbishing the competition’s 12 stadiums and the costs of staging.
Despite Brazil’s strong economy, the average monthly salary is around $835 and everything possible is being done to try and make sure that World Cup tickets do not price fans out of the market.
Brazilian icon Cafú, now a member of the local organizing committee, said the discounted tickets would make matches more accessible to all Brazilians. “That gets rid of the bad feeling, that tickets were going to be too expensive,” he said.
The bargain-rate $15 category will only be available to students, the over-60s or Brazilians receiving social benefits.
FIFA appear to have taken note of what happened in South Africa where additional batches of cheaper tickets were put on sale when it became clear that many locals couldn’t afford higher price categories.
Tickets will go on sale from August 20, with fans being given until October 10 to apply, after which a ballot will be held.
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