The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is set to be one of the largest sporting events in Middle East history.
With an excessively high demand in tickets for the region’s first World Cup tournament, ticket resellers will be on the rise to profit off the event.
As per Qatari law, unauthorised issuance, sale, resale, and distributions of World Cup tickets is strictly prohibited.
In recent weeks, reports on potential repercussions incorrectly said those caught reselling the highly-demanded tickets would face a QAR 500,000 fine and a prison sentence of up to one year.
However, a 2021 law regarding the measures for hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 that regulates the consequences of violating the reselling of tickets, notes fans found guilty of illegally reselling and distributing World Cup tickets face a fine of QAR 250,000, with no mention of imprisonment.
“Fine not exceeding 250,000 Qatari Riyals and the penalty shall be multiplied by the number of tickets subject to the violation,” Article 19/2 states of the law states.
This comes as part of FIFA’s exclusivity in relation to intellectual and commercial property rights, which sees the global footballing body exclusively in charge of managing the issuing, distribution, and sale of tickets for World Cup matches.
“Please note that you shall not, whether physically or online, offer for sale, sell, offer at auctions, give away or otherwise transfer or attempt to transfer, or engage a third party to facilitate or solicit offers for the transfer of their tickets under any circumstances,” FIFA says on its official website.
These include “any use or attempted use of tickets for advertising, promotions, incentive programmes, sweepstakes, contests, giveaways or raffles or as part of hotel, flight, hospitality or travel packages, or other commercial purposes, except as expressly authorised in writing by FIFA Ticketing, or as permitted by the Ticket Terms of Use,” it adds.
For those unable to “attend a match, you may put all your tickets up for resale on the official FIFA Resale Platform, subject to the applicable conditions.”
Permission is also required from FIFA or the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to broadcast matches in any public place or open field.
‘Record breaking’ demand
According to the Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Hassan Al-Thawadi, there has been “record-breaking” demand for this year’s World Cup.
Some 12 million ticket applications were made during the first sales period, and an additional 23.5 million requests for the second random selection draw.
On Tuesday, FIFA opened up sales on a first-come, first-serve basis, giving fans the opportunity to immediately make the purchase for their preferred games.
