Latecomers face long lines for tickets at soccer tournament opener

Criado em 15/06/13 16h47 e atualizado em 15/06/13 17h15
Por Danilo Macedo Edição:Graça Adjuto/ Lícia Marques Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – Two very long queues formed at the FIFA Confederations Cup ticketing center in Brasília,located at the Centro de Convenções Ulysses Guimarães during most of the morning. According to FIFA, 4,950 tickets out of the total 64,721 which were sold for the opening match today had not been picked when the center closed Friday evening (June 14). Saturday morning, soccer fans who had pre-booked on-line had to wait over an hour in the queue to get their tickets, while some less-organized fans who did not make an appointment waited up to three hours.

Discomfort in the long lines under the hot sun was intense, compounded by the lack of anyplace nearby to buy drinking water. “We’ve been waiting under the sun for two hours, no water or food... if only they had provided ticketing centers in other major cities,” said Jonas Rastelli, who came from São Paulo to see the opening match. However, a big fan, Jonas confirmed that he was also going to see the final on June 30 at Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.

Hawkers and street vendors spotted working near the ticketing queues were removed by local police and health officers.

Edition: Graça Adjuto/ Lícia Marques
Translation: Mayra Borges/ Allen Bennett