From Rs 1,999 to Rs 199: India vs Uruguay tickets down 90% after thousands of empty seats for Brazil match

India players during a training session at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: From a star-studded Brazil night that left thousands of seats empty to tickets as low as Rs 199, India’s football friendly in Kolkata has seen a dramatic change in prices in a matter of days.The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has reduced ticket prices for selected sections of the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium (Salt Lake Stadium) ahead of India’s international friendly against two-time world champions Uruguay on Tuesday. Tickets for the C2 Left and C2 Right blocks, which were priced at Rs 1,999 till Sunday morning, are now available for just Rs 199 – a 90% discount.The move comes just days after India v Brazil at the same venue on October 3 attracted a crowd of 51,402. This figure was well below the stadium’s reported capacity of around 85,000, leaving large sections of the stands empty despite Brazil arriving with star players including Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos.

From Rs 1,999 to Rs 199

The sharp reduction was announced by the AIFF through its social media channels on Sunday, with the revised rate applicable to select blocks for Tuesday’s friendly with Uruguay. The price cut means fans can now watch the main South American side for almost one-tenth of the original price for these sections.The timing of the decision is particularly striking. Ticket prices have been the talk of the town in the build-up to the match in Brazil, with high costs cited as one factor behind the subdued turnout.The visit to Brazil created huge expectations. The five-time world champions brought a star-studded team to Kolkata that included Vinicius, Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes. Still, the Salt Lake Stadium was nowhere near a full house as Brazil beat India 4-0.A reported attendance of 51,402 meant that more than 33,000 seats were unfilled.Uruguay’s reduced prices could therefore be seen as an attempt to get more supporters into the stands for India’s final friendly of the international window.

Uruguay offers another big attraction

The change does not come at the expense of the opposition pedigree.Uruguay are two-time FIFA World Cup champions and will arrive in Kolkata for their first match in India after the hosts’ 0-4 defeat against Brazil. The match will also be India’s third and final friendly in this international window after a 1-1 draw against Panama in Bengaluru and a defeat to Brazil in Kolkata.The challenge for India is to bounce back quickly from the heavy loss against Brazil. Head coach Khalid Jamil will be hoping his side can reproduce the positives from the opening stages of this match where India showed promising combination play, defending with discipline and attempting counter-attacks.Ryan Williams, who scored against Panama, remains one of the mainstays of India’s attack. His movement, along with Manvir Singh’s direct driving and Sahal Abdul Samad’s combination play, gave India moments of promise against Brazil, although they failed to convert their opening matches.Uruguay, ranked 20th in the world compared to 138th India, will provide another formidable test.

A chance to bring Kolkata back

The crackdown on ticket prices comes against the backdrop of Kolkata’s reputation as one of India’s biggest football hubs.The match in Brazil was billed as a landmark event, but the attendance figure and visible empty sections raised questions about whether ticket prices were set too high for the market.The contrast of Tuesday’s match is striking. The ticket, which cost Rs 1,999 on Sunday morning, is now available for Rs 199 in select sections.There is also a separate initiative involving supporters who attended last year’s Lionel Messi event in Kolkata but were unable to watch it properly amid the chaos surrounding the occasion. The West Bengal government announced free tickets for around 22,000 such spectators for the Uruguay match.Whether the combination of dramatically lower prices and additional free tickets can create a much fuller Salt Lake Stadium remains to be seen.But the message from the organizers is unmistakable: after the empty seats that welcomed Brazil, they are making a big attempt to bring fans back to the stands for Uruguay.