Followers of the Wales national team have complained of numerous bitter experiences over the past two days when trying to get on to the FIFA portal this week. So much so the site has seen some fans waiting for hours and hours to purchase their tickets.

Estimations of over fifty thousand Wales supporters wanting tickets for the game against Iran seems absolute madness, but those estimates are correct. Games at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium start on November 21st against the USA with a 7pm UK kick off time followed by the Iran game on the 25th with a 10am kick off. That seemed to be the cheapest option. The final game of the group is against England, again with a 7pm kick off. That game is on the 29th. FIFA requests a lot of personal details before you can apply for tickets, home address, passport details, date of birth, address and numerous other qualifiers to reach the queue.

Mark England posted on Twitter.

Many of the posts on social media contain graphic content due to the frustration of fans having to wait in some cases up to nineteen hours in a queue. That aside the stage one process for Wales supporters clashed with general sales of all the other group games adding to the extreme waiting times.

Matthew Gabb is one who pointed this out.

It won’t surprise that many people that ticket stub and Viagogo have landed hundreds of tickets for Wales games, hospitality prices through certain companies are around two thousand dollars per game. You can pay lots more with the offer of a commemorative gift, refreshments including beer and access to a street food style menu.

Viagogo as an example offer these prices today.

Some will see these prices in euros as appealing, however there are numerous other hoops to jump through adding air fares to the costs. Cheap flights is a recognised travel website, and they offer these prices. Independent travelling has been hijacked and monopolised once again.

Hotels are at a premium as well. The official accommodation from £120 a night looks very suspect and finding a bed is difficult too. For a four day experience to see the USA game will add five hundred pounds to your holiday. Sites like booking.com offer a four night stay for three thousand pounds in very average accommodation, that’s their lowest price. Of course searching around will bring this down but just for this game prices are eye watering. That’s booking.com who unsurprisingly have numerous new hotels featuring on their lists for November.

Then you need a Hayya Visa card which is cheap by comparison, that’s around twenty five pounds or so. This is apparently required to gain access to games, and is required for anyone visiting Qatar during the World Cup. Details are sketchy but you need this to apply for tickets. Although to buy tickets from a third party you don’t need one in some cases. It does come with some advantages ( well, you need one anyway ) like access to public transport. Also the card gives access to official accommodation, but these low rate hotels look well ropey.

It’s a huge time for Wales football, and to be a part of the ‘peoples game’ you need patience, money and desire. One independent trip including everything won’t leave you much change out of five grand. However, we have spoken to a few well prepared folk who are coming in at around three. And we haven’t even looked at the England game prices either.

We are certain we will all enjoy the World Cup no matter where you watch it from. If you can put aside the whole location thing, and the obvious and questionable way the country was chosen. Plus it’s awful human rights record then it won’t be a bad competition. Then of course you will need a few quid in your back pocket as well. World travel is back, and it comes at a huge financial cost.

Artwork Swansea Independent

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