The news of BTS possibly performing for the WORLD CUP in Doha may have set a lot of fans around the world in a frenzy, me included:
That tiny word “MAY” literally brought me to FIFA website for a chance at a possible availability at the Opening Ceremony. And having inquired and bought tickets beforehand (already have one for the KOREA-URUGUAY match on Nov24), I tried my luck again for the Opening Ceremonies which also features the first match of Qatar. I was surprised to know upon checking AL BAYT STADIUM (match venue) and QATAR (team), that there’s still an available slot!
Very thrilled with what I saw, called my wife and told her about the news (probably some of you may have noticed where my mistake will be later on). My mind was already singing RUN BTS and I immediately grabbed the chance and booked it while over the phone and told my wife, “I’m just informing you, hehehe”. Note that at this point, all ticket sales will have to be paid immediately and are non-refundable. I have to do the booking as fast as I can since I only have 15 minutes to decide and encode necessary information like name, passport or QID, and birthdates. If you are buying 3 tickets then all these details must be entered.
TRANSACTION WAS DONE and the email notification came. And while looking at it… my mind went blank… and for a few minutes, I was just staring at… T-H-E D-A-T-E! I immediately checked the match calendar and alas! Realized that I made a booking mistake. What had just happened? Booked 3 Cateory-2 tickets worth 600QR each – on a wrong date. GOOD JOB ZEKE! The Opening match for Qatar will be on Nov 21 not Nov 29, and against Ecuador not with Netherlands. I was very angry at myself for almost wasting Qr1800 for a simple oversight.
Was trying to argue with myself: “But that was the first entry that came when I typed QATAR match and therefore I immediately concluded that it was the first match/Opening Ceremonies”. I was waiting for the “whale moment” from Extraordinary Attorney Woo…. but it didn’t come, I just lost money!
SAVING GRACE
I remember that earlier that day, I was also supposed to repost the update from FIFA regarding TICKET RESELLING (full details HERE) as part of Best Life Qatar FIFA PRIMER:
RESALE WINDOW: The Resale Platform will be open from 02 August 2022 till 16 August 2022 at 11:00 CEST / 12:00 (midday) Doha time. However, FIFA Ticketing makes no guarantee that any ticket submitted to the Resale Platform will be successfully resold.
So I immediately went back to my FIFA account, clicked TICKETS TO RESELL, and then tagged my latest purchased ticket for reselling.
Even tried sending an email to inform them that I’m not trying to make a refund but if they can transfer us for the Opening Match will be appreciated. But I know this was a long shot (sending an email to a big organization such as FIFA) and my only hope is for QATAR to win the first game and that will boost an interest for someone to buy my ticket for the second match. Trying to sound confident by telling my wife – “maybe they’re not yet buying their tickets now… but they will… few days before the match”. And I left everything to faith.
You know how difficult it is to stay positive and focused when the other side of your brain is still battling about the error and the possible money loss.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – Ticket Resale Notification
An email came early morning of the following day. Could it be good news or bad news?
Dear EXEQUIEL TUNAY,
Your Ticket Application number is: *******
One or more tickets submitted for resale have been successfully resold. Please visit your Ticketing Account for more details regarding the tickets you have submitted to the Resale Platform.
This means that, following your resale request, the ticket(s) listed above have been purchased by another customer and are therefore not available for your own use anymore.
Hallelujah! It was a sigh of relief and even a 30-day wait for the refund is nothing compared to the joy of saving the money and learning from this mistake.
TICKET RESELL IS ONLY THRU FIFA WEBSITE
FROM THE FIFA WEBSITE: “The Official Ticket Resale Platform provides an opportunity for an original purchaser of a ticket purchased in accordance with the Online Ticket Terms of Sale for General Public (including a purchaser of a ticket on the Resale Platform) to obtain a refund of a portion of the price they paid for any such ticket that they no longer wish to use for themselves or a guest, subject to FIFA Ticketing being able to resell the ticket to a resale ticket purchaser.”
It was published in a local newspaper that a fine of no more than QR 250,000 will be imposed on anyone who issues, sells, resells, or exchanges tickets without permission from FIFA, Ministry of Justice said in a post on Twitter.
Additionally, according to the FIFA website, “you may not, whether physically or online, offer for sale, sell, offer at auctions, give away or otherwise transfer or attempt to transfer, or engage a third party to facilitate or solicit offers for the transfer of tickets under any circumstances, including any use or attempted use of tickets for advertising, promotions, incentive programmes, sweepstakes, contests, giveaways or raffles or as part of hotel, flight, hospitality or travel packages, or other commercial purposes, except as expressly authorized in writing by FIFA Ticketing, or as permitted by the Ticket Terms of Use.”
LESSON LEARNED
REVIEW TICKET DETAILS before purchasing. Luckily, this incident just happened during the resell window (August 2-16), otherwise, it will really be a headache and a big waste of money.
However, we are still manifesting that the news of “BTS MAY VISIT DOHA” will eventually be changed to “BTS WILL VISIT DOHA” very soon. Also manifesting for ticket sale reopening for the OPENING CEREMONIES (where the performance is likely to happen). Otherwise, it won’t hurt if BTS will grace the first match of KOREA in EDUCATION CITY STADIUM on Nov24, hehehe.
More than anything else, I really praise God for this unmerited favor.