World Cup tickets - plan of attack

Thinking of going next year - hopefully to support All Whites but keen to go anyway.

Trying to figure out a plan of attack for ticketing - the first round of ticket registration opens on 20 August and runs to 10 October. You register interest, specifying your preference (match, team or venue tickets), and then tickets are allocated randomly.

Info here: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/ticket-information/sale-phases/index.html

A decent explanation of how it works is here: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/69307/so-you-want-to-buy-world-cup-tickets

My thinking is to register interest in single match tickets for the semi and final (shit's show of getting one I know but you never know).

Assuming the All Whites qualify it would be Russian roulette registering for a venue ticket before the draw in November i.e. in this first ticketing round (no one of course knows what group they would be in (except maybe Sepp)).

I could register for a team specific ticket for the All Whites but then, if they don't qualify, you’re stuck with tickets to follow Panama, Honduras or whoever.

If When the All Whites qualify a % of their group game tickets will be allocated to All White's supporters (no idea how that would work) so you should be able to pick up group game tickets from the NZ allocation - apparently, for this tournament, tickets are not being allocated to travel agents so you can't get them by buying travel packages.

I'd be interested in how others are thinking this through.

Yeah, it's incredibly complicated. I have no idea what we are going to do. Doesn't help having an allocation before teams have qualified .

Also, what is the fax number we send our application for tickets into? 

You register interest in the ticketing section of the FIFA site:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/apply-for-tickets/index.html

Last time, as I understand it, once NZ qualified, Kiwis got their tickets either through FIFA OR NZF. Problem being the blocks were on opposite ends of the grounds.

Is this understanding correct?

Could we come to a consensus of which one to all go for?

Agreed it's a mess doing tickets before teams have qualified.

I'm guessing those going on the official tour will all book together? Can the rest of us join in on just the ticket purchase perhaps?

Here's a link to a useful FAQ.

https://fwctickets.fifa.com/ticketingSystemHelp.aspx?f=ts&show=FAQ&type=IN&l=en

These Q & As are interesting:

I bought a TST (Team Specific Ticket). What happens if my team does not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup ™?

If your chosen team does not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, FIFA will refund the payment made by you for your TST less an administration fee of US Dollars 10.00 (ten United States Dollars), or Brazilian Real 20.00 (twenty Brazilian Real)

What happens with my TST if my team is eliminated?

If your team is eliminated and your TST includes rounds after your team has been eliminated, your TST will remain valid for such round or rounds dependent on the TST product of your choice to follow the team that progresses into the next round of the Competition

If you’re hoping to go (i.e. get tickets) irrespective of whether or not NZ qualify holding off trying to get tickets until you know
whether or not NZ has qualified will greatly reduce your chances of getting tickets if they don’t. If they do qualify you would think the ticket allocation to NZ supporters should cover your NZers' needs.

Thinking about just going for it and putting in for Rio venue specific tickets as well as a semi and the final. If we get any of those itd be amazing. If we miss out, then perhaps in the next phase, will go for another venue just to make sure we end up with at least some tickets. Or hopefully the all whites will have qualified. 

The other option is just to pick a lesser venue at random, and hope that a good game/team or two end up playing there. 

I really can't decide. Am currently leaning toward Rio for now. But keep changing mind. 

Thoughts?

Exactly what I've done.

I've worked out the matches by venue; Natal, Manaus, Recife, Cuiaba, Porto Alegre, and Curibita have 2nd tier games (e.g. 3rd seed vs 4th seed).

Fortaleza, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo have Brazil group or round of 16 games so those venue tickets will be in extreme demand.

The best venue option (for quality of games) other than Rio is Salvador (B1 v B2, E1 v E3, F2 v F3, G1 v G2 and a round of 16 game).

The bugger is the 2nd round of ticketing runs before we'll know if the All Whites have qualified.

Having said that, with half the planet wanting tickets, I think any you can get will be priceless.

Over the moon - got venue specific tickets for Rio - Maracana here we come.

Others get lucky in the first round of ticket sales ?

Lucky bastard! We missed out, which makes things awkward. Hopefully the all whites qualify, that'd make it simple. 

Yeah lucky bastard! We applied for 5 games in Rio, 1 in Sao Paulo and 1 in Brasilia. Only got the game in Brasilia which is a bugger. 

No idea how we are going to get there.

Not too worried.... yet.

Us kiwis going should def catch up for a drink in Brazil! 

It's a bugger you guys missed out on the first sales round, must admit I'm feeling very very lucky.

I've found the Trip Advisor forums really informative and interesting:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g294280-i1045-Brazil.html

There are some people with tickets to unload - not scalpers - them and mates all applied to have the maximum chance of success and they got more than they needed. No idea how the official (i.e. FIFA run) exchange market works but maybe worth reading relevant threads.

Best of luck if you're going to have a crack at the first come first served sales round opening Monday.

Definitely keen to meet up with other Kiwis over there. 

Hi Got 2 tickets for Natal,16 and 19 June and 2 tickets Recife 20 and 23 June.Got to sort out flights now.Gonna cost a fortune

So what's everyone doing for accommodation. Booking now or later? Who are you booking through?

We're plan on booking pretty soon.

Probably wait a bit longer.I'm sure I'll find some-where when I show up other-wise it's under a bridge

Congratulations.

I got one game - group play

White noise tour details are out

My first WC and never been to Brazil so not professing any special insight in to when, where, how etc to make travel bookings - just sharing my experience with making arrangements.

Once my credit card had been charged for the tickets I jumped on the net to book accommodation - we're in Rio for 15 days. Booked accommodation through booking.com. There was bugger all available and the prices will make your eyes water. Apparently rates are 5x normal.

Just got back from the Flight Centre - booked flights with Lan Chile. We're going across a couple of weeks before the WC starts to do some touring so you would think before the WC rush but the travel agent couldn't believe how few seats were available - particularly across the Pacific and out of Rio.

Maybe travel agents have block booked flights and accommodation so if you're on an organised tour you can access those bookings but, solely based on my experience, I'd advise to book accommodation and flights as soon as you know when and where you're going to be - be that through a travel agent package or doing it yourself.

That's the problem with the WC ticketing system. The inability to purchase packages with tickets means you have to wait until you have the tickets before doing the rest, and by then the prices will be astronomical. 

Starting to get a bit worried about this. 

Hopefully the all whites qualify, that'd make it nice and easy. 

We've inquired about a couple of 1 bedroom apartments that will be ~$2500 for two people for 15 nights. Look pretty decent to me. Hotels etc are ridiculously expensive though.

First in first served is monday night right? I get midnight NZ time but can anyone else confirm?

Got my tickets for group stage/round of 16/quarters. Time to start planning the rest now

did anyone gets tickets in the first ballot in NZ we didnt gutted

On hold with the FIFA website...

Still on hold. I'd say if you arent in by now youve missed the boat :(

Still not in....

Anyone have any spare tickets they dont want/wanting to sell? Either in Rio or Sao Paulo

In the same boat for RIO, missed the 2nd allocation! all on for 1st in 1st served in march.

Did those who brought tickets to Rio do it just becuase it's the WC or becuase it looked for a minute that we might be there?  I pulled out of the second round after we got smashed.