Add Category
Ashraf Ali arrived at Stadium 974 six hours ahead of the Argentina-Poland World Cup match and, in desperation, raised a hand-written sign: "We need tickets".
Key points:
- FIFA has urged ticket-less fans to not arrive at World Cup stadiums after several incidents involving large crowds
- A new law in Qatar would see scalpers face hefty fines if caught selling tickets illegally
- Demand for tickets is set to increase as the event continues
Someone offered one for $US2,000 ($2,935), nine times face value.
That was too steep for Ali, 30, who travelled to Qatar from Egypt to fulfil a dream to see Argentina star Lionel Messi play.
Thirty minutes before kick-off, he managed to nab a ticket for $US500 ($733) and witnessed Argentina's 2-0 win over Mexico.
Other ticket less football fans have increasingly gathered at crowded stadium perimeters in Doha during the World Cup to haggle with scalpers, quietly pushing match tickets for popular matches for up to 10 times face value.
They have so far seemed undeterred by police patrols, CCTV cameras and laws outlawing the practice in the host nation.
"A black market is taking shape," a scalper from France told Reuters, saying sales had earned him enough money to pay for his trip to the finals, plus a bonus.
The man, who declined to be named, said he charged "the most dedicated supporters" a 1,000 per cent mark-up for tickets to sought-after matches featuring stars like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"I (sell for) the matches that you can monetise the most," he said.
Other experienced scalpers travelled to Doha to make money off soccer's showcase event, the first in the Middle East.
Reuters spoke to about 20 people who said had they bought or attempted to buy black market tickets using social media platforms or from scalpers outside the stadiums.
Fans were also seen exchanging cash for passes outside Al Thumama stadium, where crowds of people without tickets wanted to see Morocco in the match it won 2-1 against Canada.
Organisers on Saturday urged ticket-less fans not to go to stadiums, following games on Thursday and Friday where large crowds attempted to gain access without tickets.
A Latin American diplomat in Doha said the "crackdown on resellers has been mild" with most, if not all, cases dealt with via fines.
The embassy had not encountered anyone detained or deported for illegally selling tickets, the diplomat added.
Demand for illegal tickets set to increase
Qatar passed a special law for the World Cup that grants FIFA exclusive rights to sell the tickets.
Under the law, seen by Reuters, scalpers caught face fines of up to 10 times the face value of the tickets being sold illegally.
Soccer's governing body warns it will cancel those identified as having been sold outside its official sales platforms, where fans say tickets have become increasingly scarce with the tournament entering the knock-out phase.
"FIFA's ultimate objectives are to prioritise the safety and security of all fans and to enforce a fair pricing scheme for World Cup tickets," a spokesperson told Reuters.
The spokesperson said in an emailed statement that FIFA is in regular contact with Qatari authorities to ensure implementation of "relevant measures within the applicable law".
Demand is set to increase towards the end of the World Cup, when there are fewer matches and high stakes, and after Qatar dropped a requirement for visitors entering the country to have match tickets.
Outside FIFA's official ticketing centre in central Doha on Sunday, loudspeakers played a recorded message on a loop: "There are no tickets available".
Argentina fan Federico Criado, 33, said he visited the centre every two days, but screens showed no tickets for Argentina games.
He has also spent hours on FIFA's online platform looking for tickets being resold by other fans.
"I think that people just chose to sell them outside the platform because they will make more money," Mr Criado said.
Reuters