Qatar World Cup 2022 ticket sales to open, lowest $70 globally

The category-three tickets on international sale will be 250 Qatari riyals ($69), two people with knowledge of the prices said on Tuesday, compared to $105 for the equivalent in 2018.

The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022.

Fans can start registering to buy Qatar World Cup tickets on Wednesday with prices for visitors starting at around $70, one-third cheaper than the tournament in Russia.

During this first sales period, which starts at 13:00 Doha time on Wednesday and finishes on February 8, 2022 at 13:00 Doha time, fans will be able to submit their ticket applications. In this initial promotion, it will make no difference whether applications are submitted on the first day, the last day or any time in between, as all tickets will be allocated following the closing of the ticket application period.

In cases where the number of tickets applied for exceeds the available ticket inventory for the domestic or international market, tickets will be allocated by a random selection draw process. All successful, partially successful and unsuccessful applicants will be duly notified of the outcome of their applications by Tuesday, March 8, along with the steps to follow and the deadline by which to pay for allocated tickets.

 

In line with FIFA’s ticketing policy at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions of the FIFA World Cup, residents of the host country will exclusively benefit from a special price category, category 4, with prices starting from just QAR 40 each.

The category-three tickets on international sale will be 250 Qatari riyals ($69), two people with knowledge of the prices said on Tuesday, compared to $105 for the equivalent in 2018.

The cheapest tickets — in category four only for Qatari residents — will cost 40 Qatari riyals ($11), the people said. The intended ticket prices will be the cheapest at a World Cup since $3 seats in Mexico — based on 1986 exchange rates — and half the price of those made available to locals at the equivalent of $22 in Russia in 2018.

The low entry point for tickets in Qatar could help to provide access to the low-paid migrant worker population for the November 21-December 18 tournament. The cheapest tickets at the 2019 world track and field championships were 60 Qatari riyals ($17), and entry was eventually made free for workers to fill empty seats.

 

FIFA tickets will be distributed through a regulated process rather than an open sale with the full range of prices still to be announced. Supporters requesting to attend matches at the Middle East's first World Cup will only discover if they are successful based on a random draw after the first application phase, which runs through February 8.

The ticket process is beginning with only 13 of the 32 slots at the tournament filled and qualifying not concluding until the intercontinental playoffs in June.

FIFA aims to generate $500 million from hospitality rights and ticket sales from the World Cup, according to the governing body’s most recent financial report.

(With inputs from AP)