Brazil match: Anticipation rises as first batch of online tickets goes on sale

'The wait is over. See you at India vs Brazil,' announced the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on social media as the first round of online ticket sales for the marquee 3 October Kolkata match got underway on Wednesday.

The good news for football buffs was that clusters of the cheapest tickets were available between Rs 999 and Rs 1,500, while there are a host of denominations for the ‘early birds’. The most expensive tickets are priced at Rs 15,000.

The Blue Tigers will also host Panama in the first of three international friendlies during the FIFA window, in Bengaluru on 26 September, followed by perennial favourites Brazil in Kolkata and then former world champions Uruguay here on 6 October. District by Zomato is the ticketing partner of the AIFF for the three-match window.

Anticipation in the football city is only expected to rise now that ticket prices have been announced. Tickets will be sold in three phases, with dynamic pricing.

Meanwhile, former India captain Jo Paul Ancheri, one of Kerala’s more versatile footballers, has joined the chorus of former stars urging the Indian squad to give their best in the big game.

“First of all, be mentally prepared. When an opportunity like playing against Brazil comes, give 100%, work hard and challenge without fear. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain,” said Ancheri, who struck fear into the hearts of rivals alongside I.M. Vijayan in the 1990s.

Ancheri told AIFF media that playing against teams such as Brazil and Uruguay could help build a winning mentality. He went a step further, suggesting that rather than treating the matches purely as exhibition affairs, they should be viewed as a platform for building fearless Indian footballers capable of taking on giant international teams.

Looking back at the nostalgic era of the Nehru Cup, the multi-nation tournament that India successfully hosted in the Eighties, Ancheri recalled that India had done surprisingly well against great opposition such as Carlos Bilardo’s Argentina, Uruguay and the erstwhile USSR.

He said such international matches could act as catalysts, but argued that the AIFF needed to arrange more games of this nature.

“I think AIFF has taken a challenge with these things to fix the grassroot of Indian football,” he said.

He praised the AIFF’s commitment to pursuing an ambitious plan despite an initially unfavourable response, noting that India had to pull out of the ASEAN Football Federation competition after FIFA granted them a spot.

“Hosting one of the world’s greatest football teams is a massive opportunity created by AIFF. It will allow the players to reset the Indian footballers’ winning mentality and resilience,” Ancheri added.