Soccer fans eager to celebrate FIFA World Cup matches in Toronto without attending a game finally secured their chance at fan festival tickets, but they had to act fast.
Both free and premium ticket reservations for the FIFA Fan Festival, located at Fort York and The Bentway, opened to the public on Wednesday morning. Following backlash to the city's initial plan to charge a $10 fee for access, 15,600 tickets were made available for free to residents and visitors, including about 500 allotted to community groups, of the approximately 20,000 people expected to attend each day.
Tickets Gone in Minutes
A check of several tournament dates early Wednesday afternoon showed that the free tickets were gone. Lucky fans who managed to acquire one of the limited tickets for each day of the global soccer tournament will get to experience live entertainment, match broadcasts, interactive activities, and more than 30 food vendors.
The city says if complementary tickets are gone for a certain date, fans can also gain access with the purchase of a premium ticket, with prices ranging from $122.70 to $358.70. Supporters can also wait for more free tickets to be released at a later date.
Ticket Details and Policies
The city said a maximum of four general admission tickets can be reserved per transaction, and those who reserve tickets will receive barcodes beginning on May 15. Fans who acquire general admission tickets will not be allowed to re-enter after leaving the festival grounds, while premium ticket access allows guaranteed entry and enhanced entertainment experiences.
Toronto is hosting six games during the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19. Vancouver, the other Canadian host city, will anchor another seven games. The rest of the matches are in the United States and Mexico.
