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Tickets for two group matches featuring Lionel Messi's Argentina have reportedly been the biggest attraction for fans going to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on a live stream on Twitter (h/t Gulf-Times), chief organizer Nasser Al Khater claimed that tickets for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are seeing strong demand.
According to the Qatar World Cup CEO, tickets for the group game between Argentina and Mexico saw the most demand, followed by the match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia.
Both tickets are sold out and the two games will take place at the 80,000-capacity Lusail Iconic Stadium. La Abiceleste begin their World Cup campaign on Tuesday, November 22, when they face the Saudi Arabians.
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They will then take on the Mexicans on Sunday, November 27, before ending their Group C fixtures against Poland on Thursday, December `1. Al Khater went on to add that the new round of ticket sales will commence in September, following the conclusion of the second phase on August 16.
In total, around 3.2 million tickets have been allocated for sale, with a third of them allocated to sponsors and officials. This is expected to surpass the total tally of 2.4 million tickets that were allocated for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Qatar would be relieved that this edition of the World Cup comes several months after Covid-19 regulations on travel and public gatherings have eased across the globe.
This could be Lionel Messi's final chance to win the FIFA World Cup with Argentina
Lionel Messi has won virtually every major trophy available to him at club level. However, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar has failed to replicate that success with his country at the international level.
His Copa America win last year was his first major trophy at international level. He followed it up by winning the re-instated CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions earlier this year, when Argentina beat Italy 3-0 in the final.
Messi, at 35, isn't getting any younger. By the time the next World Cup comes around in 2026, he will be in and around the 39-year-old mark. That is not to say that he will not make the cut for Argentina's team in four years, but he will not be the same player that he is today.
His country have been dealt a tricky group in the 2022 edition. They are expected to win against Saudi Arabia but their games against Poland and Mexico have the potential to go either way.
Messi came close to winning the FIFA World Cup back in 2014, but the Argentines lost 1-0 to Germany in the final via a Mario Gotze goal in extra time.
