FIFA's decision to release another batch of World Cup tickets, coinciding with the 50-day countdown to the tournament, has left fans more frustrated than excited. The global football governing body announced yet another "last-minute ticket phase" on Wednesday, with tickets for all 104 matches available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets are offered in the three previously open categories, as well as the new "front category" pricing added this month. Fans have expressed outrage at exorbitant prices — the most expensive ticket for the final costs nearly $11,000 — since the first phase of sales in December. The latest round has raised questions about FIFA's "dynamic ticketing" strategy.
A FIFA spokesperson told Al Jazeera: "This ticket drop is part of the ongoing last-minute sales phase, which runs until the end of the tournament and allows the general public to purchase tickets via FIFA.com/tickets on a first-come, first-served basis." Additional tickets will be released on an ongoing basis up until the final on July 19.
Experts link pricing to multiple factors, most notably the allocation of 78 of 104 matches to the US. Simon Chadwick, professor at Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, said FIFA has tapped into a "dynamic ticket pricing model" used in the US for years. "When used in conjunction with a premium pricing strategy, dynamic ticketing is very clearly an attempt to revenue harvest, as FIFA seeks to maximise the financial returns from this summer's tournament," he explained.
A group of US lawmakers last month called on FIFA to lower prices, arguing that dynamic pricing has turned the World Cup into an exclusionary enterprise at the expense of fans. FIFA, however, claims it uses variable pricing based on demand and availability, not dynamic pricing.
The most expensive ticket for the 2022 Qatar World Cup final cost approximately $1,604, while this year's final ticket is nearly $11,000 — a staggering increase. Fans have taken to social media to vent frustration over both pricing and technical issues with FIFA's ticketing platform, with some accusing the organization of "ruining the sport" by pricing out genuine fans.
Source: www.aljazeera.com