Under-the-counter tickets for next year’s European soccer championship have appeared through an online ticket re-sale vendor, the Kyiv Post has learned.
Euroticket.com.ua, which sells tickets to live music concerts as well as other live venue events throughout Europe, including airfare, currently is offering 18 tickets to the final Euro 2012 match taking place in Kyiv on July 1.
Listing office space at a major supermarket chain in Kyiv, the online vendor’s advertised price for the tickets range from 5 to 42 times more than what the Union of European Football Associations’ going price is.
Europe’s top soccer governing body is the sole and exclusive seller of tickets for the Euro 2012 tournament.
The website advertises eight Category I tickets for 3,200 euros, four Category II tickets for 2,700 euros, and six Category III tickets for 2,100 euros.
UEFA’s price for the tickets is 600 euros, 330 euros and 50 euros, respectively for each category.
The ticket order webpage form as seen on http://www.euroticket.com.ua/ru/sport/bilety_na_euro_2012/81335/?status=order.
Euroticket said it offers ticket delivery by FedEx.
The Kyiv Post contacted the company as a potential buyer for the final match.
When asked whether there will be problems entering the stadium for the final match if their name isn’t on the ticket, a company manager named Serhiy dismissed UEFA’s threat of individual checks as a “practice historically not applied in Ukraine.”
UEFA believes that by centralising the sales of any type of tickets, it can guarantee the cheapest prices on the market. Martin Kallen, the UEFA Events SA operations director, said: "It is extremely important that people and companies are aware that tickets and corporate hospitality packages can only be purchased directly from UEFA.
"There is absolutely no other entity having any ticket in its possession. We therefore urge everyone not to be tempted by such deals, as they will simply end up being denied access to the stadium as individual checks will be made at the stadium entrance…and by centralising all tickets sales we make sure that tickets will be available at the fairest prices."
UEFA said that tickets allocated before March 1, 2012 will be issued and distributed approximately four to six weeks before the tournament kicks off on June 8.
Kyiv Post staff writer Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].
