How to Buy Tickets for World Cup 2014!
On August 20, FIFA began officially selling tickets for the 2014 World Cup
Aug. 21, 2013— -- On August 20, FIFA began officially selling tickets for the 2014 World Cup, which will be held in 12 Brazilian cities from June 12 to July 13.FIFA is set to make available nearly three million tickets, which will be initially sold online through a rather complicated process that's familiar to those who attended the 2010 World Cup, and made up of three selling phases that are divided into five different selling rounds. (Still with us?)
You can start your ticket application here, but before you do, here's all you need to know about FIFA's intricate ticket system:
Pricing Categories
There are four pricing categories, which vary depending on where you sit in the stadium. Category 1 tickets, the most expensive option, range from $175 for group matches, to $990 for the final. Category 2 tickets are slightly cheaper because seats are almost always located in the corners of the stadium. Category 3 tickets, the cheapest option for non-Brazilians, range from $110 to $440. There there's category 4 tickets, which are only available to Brazilians and range from $30 to $165. These prices don't vary, regardless of whether you buy the tickets now or on July 11, 2014.
Type of Ticket
FIFA allows you to buy three kinds of ticket types: individual match tickets, venue specific ticket series, and team specific ticket series.
Individual match tickets are exactly what the name says, and their prices vary depending on which category you prefer.
The venue specific ticket series is designed for people who want to attend all the games in just one city. So if you want to buy tickets for all the games in, say, Sao Paulo, this is what you're looking for. Since each stadium is hosting different sort of matches, prices range from $1,250 for Category 1 in Brasilia, to $360 for Category 3 in Manaus.
Finally, there is the team specific ticket series (TST), which, as the name implies, allows you to follow a team of your choosing throughout the tournament. Within this product, you can buy from three to seven tickets depending on how far you think your team will make it in the competition. This covers the three group matches and the next stage. If your team does not qualify for the number of rounds you bought tickets for, FIFA will give you tickets to follow either your team's group winner, if your team doesn't make it past the group stage, or the team that beat yours after the 16th round. Prices for this product range from $297 for TST-3 in Category 3 to $2,998 for TST-7 in Category 1.
When to Purchace
To purchase the different ticket types, FIFA has established three different sales phases.
Phase one, which goes from August 20 to November 28. That is, in turn, divided into two different sales rounds. The first round, which runs from August 20 to October 10, is what FIFA calls a random selection draw. This means that during this round you don't actually buy tickets right away. Rather, you apply for them and, depending on how many people apply for the same categories and ticket products, you either receive the tickets or enter a random draw that could leave you empty handed. The second round works on a first come first served basis, and it runs from November 10 to November 28. During that round, FIFA will process all applications based on the order in which they receive them, so early birds have a higher chance of receiving their products.
Phase two is also divided into a random selection draw, which runs from December 8, 2013, to January 30, 2014, and a first come first served basis round, which goes from February 26 to April 1. The World Cup final draw is set for December 6, so Phase two will offer the buyers the advantage of knowing whether their team classified and who they will be playing in the group stage.
Finally, there will be a last-minute-sales phase from April 15 to July 13 in which fans will be able to buy tickets online or at special ticketing venues in Brazil.
Good luck!
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