SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The organisers of the Copa America expressed concerns over poor attendance at initial games on Monday and said they must correct errors in the ticketing process to ensure more fans have access to matches in this month's tournament in Brazil.
The issue cropped up after Friday's opening match between Brazil and Bolivia saw empty spaces in the stands and the controversy grew on Monday.
Fans trying to buy tickets for Brazil games in advance faced difficulties and the Local Organising Committee said they had held some tickets back that later went unsold.The problem of poor sales was particularly evident on the second and third days of the tournament when three of the four games had attendances below 20,000.
"This is a country which lives for football and we would like to see more people participate. Some games have had many people, others unfortunately have not had so many.The COL said it would publish full details of sales on the tournament's website on Monday but the information was not available while they did not respond to requests for details on overall ticket sales.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Low turnouts suggest Copa America struggling to excite fansSALVADOR, Brazil (Reuters) - The Copa America's official song is titled 'A Continent Vibrates' but if the strikingly low attendances at some matches are anything to go by, many in South America, especially in the host nation Brazil, seem wholly unenthused by the tournament.
Read more »
Uruguay's Vecino to miss rest of Copa America after hamstring injury | Malay MailBELO HORIZONTE, June 18 ― Uruguay's influential midfielder Matias Vecino will miss the rest of the Copa America after he was injured in the Celeste's 4-0 hammering of Ecuador. The Inter Milan player pulled up with hamstring trouble towards the end of Sunday's opening Group C match. The...
Read more »
Vargas double hands Chile 4-0 victory over Japan | Malay MailSAO PAULO, June 18 ― Eduardo Vargas scored twice as Chile launched the defence of their Copa America crown with an emphatic 4-0 defeat of Japan in Sao Paulo yesterday. Vargas, who plays for Mexico club Tigres UANL, netted twice in the second half as Chile gradually overpowered a skillful but...
Read more »
Soccer-Qatar shake up Copa with thrilling comeback against ParaguayRIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Qatar fought their way back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Paraguay in their first ever Copa America game on Sunday, proving they will be no pushovers in the tournament by pulling off a thrilling revival at a near-empty Maracana stadium.
Read more »
Loss to Colombia highlights scale of Messi's task to win CopaSALVADOR, Brazil (Reuters) - There is nothing Lionel Messi craves more than winning a trophy with Argentina but his side's haphazard performance in the 2-0 Copa America defeat by Colombia on Saturday laid bare the difficulty of the task he faces.
Read more »
Colombia basking in immediate Queiroz effectSALVADOR: Colombia laid down a statement of intent in their opening Copa America clash, defeating Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2–0 in coach Carlos Queiroz...
Read more »