It looks like I won't be able to make one of the games in South Africa. What are my options? I know ticket sales are final, but is there anything I can do or is it just eat the cost?
You can try to sell it on eBay, but if it's a group match you might not get too much. I don't think there's much else you can do. You could also try to get a different match on the ticket trade forum here...
Based on the experience in Germany in 2006, and assuming FIFA sets up the same options, there will be two ways to transfer tickets. One is to go through the official FIFA transfer process by submitting a transfer application identifying the transferees (passport number, name, etc.) and paying a fee (which I think was 12 Euro in 2006). This process was supposed to make it harder for ticket brokers to transfer tickets because there was supposed to be a reason for the transfer. I had some tickets transferred to me, and I transferred some I couldn't use. It worked out without any trouble for me. The other transfer option FIFA made available was a ticket resale option. Basically you turned your tickets back to FIFA and if they sold you got a credit. This arrangement was available in the spring ticketing phase. I got rid of some extra tickets this way so I could stay under the 7 per applicant rule once I got allocated USA tickets. I'm not sure FIFA will have a resale option this go round because it apparently is having trouble selling tickets. But their credo has been to allow as many people to get tickets as possible (assuming they can pay FIFA's high prices) so I would expect you'll have a resale option through FIFA. That ensures tickets are sold at face value and that the purchaser has the tickets issued in their name.
Thanks for the info. the game I will be missing will be either Argentina vs. South Korea or Spain vs. Honduras. Both games in J'burg featuring big teams. Hopefully those will sell.
Another complicating factor for the SA WC is that tickets can only be picked up in South Africa. In 2006 FIFA shipped the tickets so you had the tickets in hand and could send the tickets to others. You may have a problem if you (the applicant) are not going to be South Africa prior to the game dates. Not sure how FIFA is going to deal with this issue because the applicant is supposed to pick up tickets at kiosks using the same charge card that was used to buy tickets.
What CAT are your Spain v Honduras tickets? I have a few games in and around Joburg that I could possibly trade.
I logged onto my FIFA account today and saw that they've added a feature that allows you to transfer the guest tickets to other people. Under your ticket request/confirmation it now says "Transfer Guests." The applicant can't transfer tickets. It's only for guests. You have to provide a reason for the transfer. The seven listed reasons of FIFA's web page are set out below: Please select the reason for your guest transfer request from the list below: __ a Ticket Holder wishes to transfer a Ticket from a named Guest to a family member __ a nominated Guest is ill __ a nominated Guest is unable to obtain a valid visa to travel to South Africa __ a nominated Guest is prohibited from travelling from his point of origin __ there is an event of force majeure __ a nominated Guest dies, or where a close relative of the nominated Guest dies __due to a change in personal circumstances
Thanks for the update Jimbo! The actual people who are going to games with me will be different than the names i previously put down, cest la vie... I highly doubt the ticket-attendants at the stadium will be looking to match names on tickets (people would have to show up 3-4 hours before the game), but at least FIFA is slowly getting the process started for transferring tickets...
given that you can't pick up the tickets until you get to South Africa, selling on eBay would be nigh on impossible, unless you found some incredibly trusting buyer.
Not necessarily as you can pay by paypal and be covered for x days, the auction will have to be local pickup. It may be equally risky for the seller as the buyer, what if someone picked them up, watched the game and then reported to paypal they never received it from you and demanded a refund or worse, found cheap tix and then just demanded a refund from paypal since they never did pick it up.
As someone stated, I received an email about ticket resale but can't figure out how to do it!!! GGGRRRR, anyone have any luck?
Ah, well, I'll wait til then. I've decided to not go at all and just fly home. A flight from my Caribbean island was gonna cost me 3k, and that is just too much for me. I have 6 tickets, 2 each for 3 games. Argentina vs. South Korea (cat 2) Brazil vs. Cote d'Ivoire (cat 3) Spain vs. Honduras (cat 3) All in J'berg, which is a plus and if Brazil doesn't sell out, nothing will.
Can you recall in 2006, when do the seats actually get assigned? Will you know the seats PRIOR to your ticket being printed by the machine? If the machines are operational April 15th and the resale phase (and final phase) starts then also, then it sounds like your seats may be made available to you and therefore in the final 'last minute' phase are you buying tickets that have seat assignments to go with them?
So it sounds like you can resell tickets or transfer guests but not transfer the applicant - I wonder if they will eventually make an exception or something - obviously if you have a foursome and the applicant drops dead or is too ill to travel you must have a work around! I know you can borrow a credit card etc. off of the deceased (why would they care) but FIFA has to allow for something..........surely.............
I dont think the seats were shown anywhere online in 2006. So once it was printed thats when people started to figure which sections were the fan sections and boundaries for the categories, etc. I think this resell will practically be the same as the 06 resell, minus sending back the tickets, you put it up and it goes to the first person who applied for the same game, section and number of tix as you (or whatever their algorithm is). Then the system transfers it to that other person so they can pick it up. And fifa refunds you minus 10%. I cant forsee them making an exception to the pickup rule, they made it pretty clear in various faqs that the applicant is the owner of the tix and set up the re-sale phase to deal with unforseen situations, plus they want to make sure they make all the money and not anyone else
sellout games... Besides England USA and maybe Brazil (who don't bring any fans!), does anyone think the majority of games will sell out at these prices and with all the associated problems with this world cup? In Germany it was a scramble for any ticket you could get. Here everything seems so complicated and messed up, and consequently you can apply for any game you like with most categories still available !! What are people's thoughts on all the tickets actually being sold, or will we be watching half empty stadiums??
Re: sellout games... hopefully we can get a refund as i cannot make the last england group game so i have 2 tickets for the slovenia game. also one tst3 for england as my brother cannot come now. tried listing on uk sites and all got removed. rather just get my money back rather than waste time over there trying to sell them etc.
Just trying to get a sense of how to either seek a transfer from someone who had tickets (2) to USA v England and will not make it to the game due to travel reasons. Alternatively, advice on those looking to refund those tickets would help as well. I have booked accommodation and flights to be in South Africa from 6/11 - 6/19 and already have 2 tickets to the USA v Slovenia game. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
the brazil game and the spain game appear to have sold out. Also, in the "Tickets Trade" page there was someone looking for Bra/IvCoast very recently (like yesterday or day before). so hop on it! Where do you live if you dont mind me asking...?
If he's not going to South Africa at all then he can't trade tickets, how is he going to pick them up?