Ticketing bungles plague FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in Australia
Ticketing dangles FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in Australia with diehard fans who paid extra to attend shunted to NOSEBLEED seats at Accor Stadium
- Australia and New Zealand will host the World Cup this year
- The first round of tickets have gone on sale
- Fans have been complaining about card assignments
Soccer fans scrambling to get tickets to the FIFA Women’s World Cup are feeling cheated by what they consider confusing information that has left them nosebleed.
The tournament is the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to feature more than one host country, and is also the first senior World Cup for both genders to be held in multiple confederations.
Fans have come to blows after some of the Matildas’ most devoted supporters were pushed to the point of bleeding CommBank Stadium in Parramatta to the 82,500 capacity Accor Stadium.
Fans have complained that FIFA’s ticket allocation procedures have pushed fans who started early with pre-sale tickets, in some cases at a higher cost, further from the pitch.
Dozens of fans complained that a lack of transparency about how seats were allocated meant that those who rushed to get pre-sale seats at a higher cost are now stuck with obstructed views away from the action.
Matildas star Sam Kerr will be a big draw at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, but many fans are struggling to get tickets
Early bird fans paid a premium for good seats, but were ejected from the field when there was a change of venues
Some fans claimed they wouldn’t have bought tickets had they known their opinion could have gotten worse.
Among those affected is Marcia Humble from Launceston, who wanted to make the World Cup trip she organized for her children as memorable as possible.
It was especially important for the single mother, whose soccer-obsessed daughter, Katie Campbell, 15, is dealing with a worsening heart condition.
“Superfan” told Kris Goman The Sydney Morning Herald that she bought tickets within 10 minutes of the presale opening and got “seats in the air.”
Sydney lawyer Alison Thompson criticized the language used by the game’s governing body when describing Category 1 tickets, which cost $60 for an adult attending a group stage match involving Australia or New Zealand.
“We paid for Category 1 tickets, apparently the ‘highest priced and located in prime locations in the stadium’, but our seats are on the sixth floor.”
“From the very beginning of ticket sales in October 2022, FIFA has clearly communicated through stadium maps where fans will be allocated seats based on ticket category purchased,” said a FIFA spokesperson.
Hopes are high for the Matildas following their recent victory over England, with Charlotte Grant pictured celebrating with teammates
Thousands of football fans rush to get tickets for the showpiece, but encounter problems
The ticketing portal itself was reportedly plagued with issues, with some fans complaining about the lack of clarity in messages for customers.
Sydney football fan Roisin Murphy complained about the problems she was having with the ticketing website. “When I tried to buy tickets during presale, I found the website difficult to navigate and missed out on tickets.
And when the second round of tickets went on sale, I was at work and missed it again,” she said.
The tournament will take place in Australia and New Zealand from July 10 to August 20, 2023, with 32 teams from around the world competing for the title.
The event is expected to attract a global audience of more than a billion people, with an estimated 1.5 million people attending the games in the two countries.