Chinese football fans will have to pay up to €635 ($680) to watch Lionel Messi lead Argentina against Australia in a friendly in Beijing, organizers announced on Friday.
The match on June 15 at the Estádio dos Trabalhadores, with a capacity of 68,000 spectators, is a rematch between Argentina and Australia, who last met in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar. Messi, who is leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer, scored one of the goals in the 2-1 win.
Tickets ranging from 76 euros ($82) to 635 euros will go on sale in two batches on June 5 and 8, the organization said.
Disgruntled fans were quick to criticize the prices of the exhibition game on social media.
“I’m reporting the theft”commented a user on Weibo, a social network similar to Twitter.
“For 4,800 yuan (635 euros), will Messi carry us on his back while he plays?”wrote another user.
It will be Messi’s first visit to China since 2017.
Strict measures are in place, requiring spectators to provide identification and show their citizen card or passport to enter the stadium.
Merchants on China’s shopping platform Taobao immediately began offering ticket booking services, with one seller charging about 2,300 euros (18,000 yuan) for what it says is access to VIP seats.
International sport began to return to China after Beijing abruptly lifted strict measures against Covid-19 late last year.
Source: DN
