(WFI) FIFA has announced that the cheapest Brazil 2014 World Cup tickets for international fans will cost $90 and $15 for Brazilian residents.
The announcement today in Sao Paulo, host city for the June 12 opening match, was delayed from earlier this month in the aftermath of rioting across Brazilian cities over World Cup investments and poor public services that marred the country’s staging of the Confederations Cup.
For overseas fans, ticket prices for the opening game range from $220 to $495. The cheapest for the final at Rio’s famed Maracana stadium are $440 dollars, with tthe most expensive costing $990.
The ticket prices for locals is broadly similar to those sold to South Africans for the 2010 World Cup. The cheapest discounted ticket, costing $15, are available for students, over-60s and those on the welfare programme.
A total of three million tickets for the 64-match tournament will be available for fans to purchase during the three sales phases.
From Aug. 20 to Oct. 10, fans can apply through FIFA.com with a ballot determining the successful applicants.
Responding to concerns about pricing Brazilians out of the World Cup, FIFA has made category 4 tickets available to Brazilian residents only. This equates to a minimum of 400,000 tickets.
The ticketing announcement came at a press conference featuring Brazil 2014 CEO Ricardo Trade, FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil, deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes and two-time FIFA World Cup champion Cafu.
Weil said it was the first time FIFA had allowed for discounted tickets at any World Cup. "Luis and the government are good negotiators," he said.
The Brazilian government played tough with FIFA in a bid to ensure locals got a slice of the World Cup action on home soil. Negotiations over many months had delayed approval of the World Cup law that now incorporates the discounted tickets guarantees from FIFA.
Weil told the news conference: "I hope FIFA has proven to be reasonable when it comes to prices."
Brazil delivered six stadia for the Confederations Cup but still have another six to complete by the end of December, if FIFA’s ticketing strategy is to work effectively. Construction delays in handing over those for the World Cup warm-up tournament suggest it won’t be plain sailing.
Weil said FIFA was insisting that the six stadia, including Corinthians’ new home in Sao Paulo, kept to the timetable so seating could be checked as part of the ticketing strategy.
"A lot depends on stadia being ready in time so we have all seat data to provide to customers," he said.
"It’s nothing to do with Brazil, it was the same in South Africa and Germany. What you get from architects on a map and what you get in reality is different."
Trade said Brazil’s World Cup organisers were "very comfortable" with reports from the six cities that stadia would be delivered on time.
Earlier this week, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Brazil may have been the wrong choice for the 2014 tournament if the violent protests that overshadowed the Confederations Cup disrupted next year’s showpiece. "If this happens again we have to question whether we made the wrong decision awarding the hosting rights," Blatter told German press agency DPA on Wednesday.
Deputy sports minister Fernandes hit back when asked to respond to Blatter’s comment.
"The data presented here by FIFA shows that the Confederations Cup was an enormous success," he said.
He added: "It reinforces and proves that Brazil was the right choice to host the World Cup in 2014. Numbers don’t lie. That’s all I have to say about it."
Cafu told reporters that the Brazil World Cup had better ticket prices than South Africa 2010 and would ensure those less well-off would benefit. "It is going to be one of the greatest World Cups ever. There will be beautiful stadiums. We will welcome everybody."
By INSIDER’s Mark Bisson
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