Tickets are on sale to fans via euro2008.com
(¿Getty Images)
UEFA EURO 2008T is making waves around the world with 2.5
million ticket requests from 128 countries at the halfway stage of the
month-long application phase.
Equal chance
In all, 233,000 fans from places as far flung as Aruba to Djibouti and
El Salvador to Uganda have applied via euro2008.com, the official website,
but there is still plenty of time for fans to get involved. Applications
for tickets will be accepted until midnight on 31 March, with all requests
having the same chance of success regardless of when submitted.
Global interest
The 2008 UEFA European Championship final round will take place between
7 and 29 June in Austria and Switzerland. While there is huge global interest,
Christian Mutschler, Euro 2008 SA tournament director Switzerland, revealed
supporters from three European countries in particular, were especially
keen. He said: "In the league table of applications from fans, Switzerland
has opened up a clear lead, followed by Austria and Germany."
Ticket rush
What is also unsurprising is that showpiece matches are garnering most
interest. Christian Schmolzer, Euro 2008 SA tournament director Austria,
said: "The favourites are the final in Vienna, the semi-final in
Basle and the opening match, also at the St. Jakob-Park in Basle."
The rush for tickets peaked during the first two days after the launch,
at around 50,000 orders per day, with an average of almost 10,000 applications
coming in every 24 hours since.
Key dates
The validity of all applications received will be checked in early April,
with a draw following in the middle of the month to allocate tickets for
over-subscribed matches. The draw will be entirely random and supervised
by a notary, and all applicants will know by the end of April whether
they have been successful. If tickets are still available after this first
phase, they will go on sale in early June, again via euro2008.com, where
the first come, first served principle will apply. Each of the teams that
reach the finals will also receive tickets, approximately 19 per cent
of the ticket quota, to be sold to supporters through their own channels
following the tournament draw in December.
,
17 March 2007.
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