By Adegboyega Adeleye
England fans hoping to watch the Three Lions face Mexico in their FIFA World Cup last-16 clash on Monday are being forced to pay as much as £2,600 for a single ticket on FIFA’s official resale platform, according to the BBC.
The surge in ticket prices comes after England booked a blockbuster round-of-16 meeting with co-hosts Mexico following Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over DR Congo.
The highly anticipated fixture will be played at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where demand has soared because of the host nation’s involvement and limited ticket availability.
According to the BBC, the cheapest resale ticket available on FIFA’s platform costs £2,622, nearly 12 times its original face value.
Before England’s win over DR Congo, only around 250 resale tickets were available. That number later rose to more than 400, but prices remained exceptionally high as supporters scrambled to secure seats for one of the tournament’s biggest knockout ties.
The England Supporters’ Travel Club had originally received an allocation of 4,000 tickets before the tournament, all of which were sold during January’s ballot. No additional tickets will be released, leaving the resale market as the only option for many fans.
Some resale listings have reached extraordinary levels.
A Category Four ticket with a face value of around £129 is being resold for almost £3,933, while certain premium Category One tickets are listed for more than £24,000, excluding FIFA’s additional purchase fee.
Independent resale marketplace SeatGeek is also showing steep prices, with the cheapest available ticket costing almost £3,000, according to the report.
While match tickets have become increasingly expensive, accommodation in Mexico City remains relatively affordable, with many hotels offering rooms for under £80 for two nights around the fixture.
England will be aiming to overcome Mexico and reach the World Cup quarter-finals when the two sides meet at the Estadio Azteca on Monday in one of the standout ties of the knockout stage.
