FIFA World Cup in Qatar: From Being Most Expensive Venue Ever to Selling Most Costliest Tickets Ever

At $220 billion, Qatar has spent the highest amount to organise the 22nd edition of FIFA World Cup 2022.

Excitement is peaking for football fans across the globe. The ball will finally roll at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar tomorrow kicking off the FIFA World Cup 2022, the 22nd edition of the world’s most prestigious and most watched team sporting event. Hosts Qatar will take on Ecuador tomorrow at the inaugural match to be played at Al Bayt Stadium at 9.30 PM IST.

But this time it is not just the controversies, concerns and complains that is being talked about about the iconic tournament. This World Cup is one of the most expensive with Qatar spending $220 billion in the infrastructure and arrangements for the tournament, manifold higher than the $11.6 billion spent by Russia to organise the FIFA World Cup in 2018, $15 billion by Brazil in 2014, $3.6 billion by South Africa in 2010. Before that, Germany spent $4.3 billion in 2006, Japan shelled out $7 billion in 2002, France $2.3 billion in 1998, and the US $500 million in 1994.

This is not all. FIFA World Cup 2022 has also sold tickets 40 per cent costlier as compared with the previous FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 as per a study by Germany-based sports outfitter Keller Sports. Tickets for the final match cost a hefty 684 pounds (nearly Rs 66,200) on average.

Reports said nearly three million tickets have been sold across the eight stadiums in Qatar ahead of the November 20-December 18 World Cup. The tournament is expected to deliver record revenue for FIFA, crossing the roughly $5.4 billion more than Russia’s earnings at the 2018 World Cup.
Tickets to the football matches in Qatar this time cost an average 286 pounds (about Rs 27,700) per seat, compared with 214 pounds in the 2018 edition in Russia, according to Keller Sports.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup Kicks off Tomorrow, the Fun Begins

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