Organisers are working to make sure that ticket prices for the first ever major Fifa international football tournament to be staged in India are not impacted by the country’s new 28 per cent sales tax.
The draw for this autumn’s competition takes place today in Mumbai, just days after the introduction of the new national goods and services tax (GST) rate on entertainment and some sports tickets. The top rate of 28 per cent will be added to Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket admission costs, although a lower rate applies to many other sports events.
However, Fifa U-17 World Cup Local Organising Committee (LoC) tournament director Javier Ceppi said prices will not be affected as most tickets fall under the Rs 250 (£3.00/$3.90/€3.40) threshold to which the tax is applied.
Ceppi told news agency IANS: “For the few tickets we have over Rs 250, we will not pass on any extra cost due to GST to the fans and we will follow all regulations and procedures as established in the law.”
Fifa impressed by Indian ticket sales
England, Brazil, France, Germany and hosts India are among the nations that will feature in today’s draw for the tournament that is due to take place in October. India will play their matches at the 60,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in the country’s capital, New Delhi, with the final scheduled to be staged at the 85,000-capacity Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
The first phase of World Cup tickets had a discount of 60 per cent on the minimum priced tickets to those buying tickets in block for all the matches at a venue. Tickets went back on sale in Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi earlier this week, with Fifa deputy secretary general Zvonimir Boban saying: “We’ve been really impressed with the interest in the tournament, especially in Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi, and we’d like to give the fans there one more opportunity before the draw to book their place for this historic event in India. This is a beautiful demonstration of the love that Indian people have for football.”
Phase 2 of ticket sales is due to start today following the draw when fans know which teams will be playing in which games.
IMAGE: PlaneMad (logo added)
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