Sports

Ticket prices skyrocket for Portugal-Croatia clash

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TORONTO: Ticket prices at resale platforms skyrocketed for the ​World Cup game between Portugal ​and Croatia in Toronto next week, with the average price for the cheapest ticket crossing $3,000 late on Saturday, data from price-tracking website Ticketdata showed.
Portugal were held to a draw against Colombia in Miami, which meant Cristiano Ronaldo's ⁠side finished second in Group K.
Croatia finished second in Group ⁠L after they defeated Ghana in their last group game.
Portugal will now face Croatia at Toronto Stadium in the round of 32 on July ‌2 in a match pitting Ronaldo ​against his old ⁠team-mate at Real Madrid, Luka Modric.
The average price ​for the cheapest ticket stood at $3,225 on secondary resale websites as of 11 pm ET (03:00 GMT), according to Ticketdata, ​the highest for any round-of-32 game.
Ticketdata gathers data from resale platforms including StubHub and Vivid, according to its website.
The price had more than doubled from before kick-off in the game between Portugal and Colombia, highlighting the dynamic pricing system adopted by tournament organiser Fifa ​this year.
The system lets prices move with demand — a regular practice ​at ‌US ⁠concerts and sporting events - and had pushed group-stage game resale tickets above $1,000.
An earlier Reuters analysis showed the prices for tickets ​and accommodation alike have pushed the world's biggest ⁠sporting spectacle ​this year further than ever into the hands of those with higher incomes, signalling a reshaping of the profile of World Cup ticket holders.
Fifa has urged fans to use only its ​own official resale platform, saying its resale and ​exchange marketplace is the only platform through which it can guarantee proper delivery of tickets. — Reuters