FIFA had a ticket problem (Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
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Watchers and spectators at the World Cup final would have been shocked to see a rush of empty seats before kick-off. Spain and Argentina are competing in the final, with the latter looking to defend their title with inspiration from Lionel Messi. A technical glitch in FIFA’s ticket scanning system threatened to delay the marquee event at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “There are some empty seats but unfortunately FIFA had a technical glitch with their ticketing system so there’s still a huge queue outside and we’re 20 to 25 minutes away from kick-off so we’re just waiting for these places to fill up,” Laura Woods said on the ITV broadcast. It was clear that there were long queues for supporters trying to access the venue. However, some fans seem to have been misguided. At the 80,663-capacity ground, fans paid thousands of dollars to watch FIFA’s most expensive tickets, priced at around £8,333. This is the most expensive general admission ticket ever. With US President Donald Trump in attendance, US security officials took over control of security operations at the stadium. There were also claims that those who did not arrive at least six hours before kick-off would have difficulty getting into the stadium in time. FIFA advised fans to take their seats four hours before kickoff. The closing ceremony began 90 minutes before the match and was scheduled to include a performance by Robbie Williams.
