FIFA announced in August 2.45 million had been sold out of a total three million tickets available for this year’s World Cup.
Qatar has topped the list of countries for FIFA World Cup ticket purchases, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The top 10 purchasing countries of the tickets sold are Qatar, the United States, Saudi Arabia, England, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, France, Brazil and Germany, FIFA’s World Cup Chief Operating Officer Colin Smith told a news conference in Doha.
“There is currently either low or no availability for matches,” Smith said.
Ticket sales for the World Cup have reached 2.89 million, approaching three million ahead of the tournament’s start in Qatar on November 20, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Monday.
In a video address to the conference, Infantino said 240,000 hospitality packages for the month-long tournament had been sold, making it the “most successful hospitality program ever.”
According to FIFA’s website, hospitality tickets for the semifinals and final games cost between $9500 and $34,300 per person. These tickets provide luxurious access to stadium lounges, some of which offer free alcohol.
Among the 2.83million ticket holders, approximately 75% have already signed up for FIFA’s fan ID, the Hayya card, authorities in Doha confirmed this week.
Qatar, the smallest country to host the World Cup, is expecting an unprecedented 1.2 million visitors, more than a third of the Gulf Arab state’s population of about 3 million.
Yasir Al Jamal, the director general of the organizing committee for the World Cup in Qatar, stated that two million room nights had already been booked and that Qatar had added an additional 30,000 rooms to accommodate last-minute ticket sales, Reuters reported.
“This has been designed to ensure that all ticket holders have the best chance of securing accommodation,” Al Jamal said.
Due to limited accommodation in Qatar, thousands of fans are also considering staying in neighbouring countries where they will be able to fly in for specific games using daily ‘shuttle flights’.
A million World Cup supporters are expected to visit Dubai, which is only a short flight away from Doha.
The neighbouring emirate has designated fan zones at parks, beaches, and the financial district in preparation for the rush, and hotels are promoting special deals.
With most of the 31,000 or so hotel rooms in Qatar occupied by soccer teams, World Cup organisers are offering fans accommodation in apartments, villas, desert tents, and three cruise ships moored in the Doha port.
The FIFA World Cup this year will see the tournament hosted in the Middle East for the first time in history. Japan will be the first team to arrive for the tournament on November 7, officials confirmed.