Qatar violates FIFA rules: Tickets for World Cup matches on black market 10 times their value
Black markets are spread all over the world, with some working illegally to make profits, specifically from tickets to games. But the situation in Qatar is much different, and it seems that these markets are working under the supervision of the Qatari government itself, which did not succeed in achieving the required profits from the World Cup, due to the flight of fans to neighboring countries, the unwillingness of residency in Qatar, in addition to the low public attendance at matches, which prompted the government to grant tickets for the matches of the teams with wide popularity to black market traders.
Violation of law
American network ABC News monitored public anger at Qatar’s disorganization and unavailability of tickets at the places where they were sold, even though Qatar’s announced electronic ticketing system leaves no loophole for the black market; Some people raised banners reading “We need tickets”.
Ashraf Ali arrived at Stadium 974 six hours before the World Cup match between Argentina and Poland, and hopelessly raised a handwritten sign: “We need tickets,” where someone offered him one for $2,000, nine times the original ticket value, which was repeated with most fans who came to see Argentine player Lionel Messi inside the pitch. After many negotiations that lasted nearly five hours, Ashraf managed just 30 minutes before the game to get a ticket for $500.
“Fans increasingly gathered around the crowded stadium in Doha during the World Cup to bargain with speculators, quietly pushing tickets for popular matches up to 10 times the original value, and police patrols, TV cameras and laws seemed to turn a blind eye to these practices.”
Ink on Paper
One fan said: Some fans pay a 1000% increase on tickets to popular football matches involving stars such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, something that appears to be under the eye of the Qatari government. The US network spoke to about 20 people who said they bought or tried to buy black market tickets using social media platforms or from speculators outside the stadiums. Fans were also seen exchanging money for tickets outside Al Thumama stadium, where crowds of people without tickets wanted to watch Morocco in the 2-1 game against Canada.
Qatar issued a World Cup law giving FIFA exclusive rights to sell tickets, under which speculators face fines up to ten times the nominal value of tickets sold illegally, and warned the governing body of football that it will cancel those identified as having been sold outside official sales platforms. Fans say tickets have become increasingly rare as the tournament enters a showdown phase, but warnings have not been translated into action, just ink on paper.
