With the opening of ticket sales, fans were surprised by a huge increase in prices, especially for the final match scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in the American state of New Jersey.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) had previously announced that the maximum price of a ticket for the final was about $1,550, but the official selling platform later showed tickets offered for more than $10,000, while some tickets offered for resale reached shocking numbers exceeding $11 million, even though the seat classified within it is among the worst in terms of visibility inside the stadium.
One of the tickets in circulation sparked great controversy after it was offered for 8.5 million pounds for a seat located in the upper rows of the stadium, which fans considered evidence of the tournament turning into an event reserved for the wealthy only.
Many fans expressed their anger over the prices on social media, with some describing what was happening as “financial exploitation,” while others considered that “football is no longer the fans’ game.”
Travel and transportation costs also witnessed a significant increase, as the price of a train trip not exceeding 30 minutes from New York to MetLife Stadium rose from less than $10 to about $150 during the tournament matches. (Russia Today)
