Cuttack: In spite of Federation Cup being one of the top football tournaments in the country, the demand for tickets has been lukewarm till Saturday. The tournament will have the top eight club teams of India vying for top honours and a host of national stars and foreign imports will be seen in action in the next fortnight.
However, in spite of all its attractions, only 5,000 tickets have been picked up for the first day while the Barabati Stadium has a capacity of approximately 30,000. Officials of the Football Association of Orissa (FAO) are expecting ticket sales will pick up as the tournament progress.
One thing, however, is certain. If both Kolkata teams, or even one of them make it to the knockout stage, there will be hordes of fans arriving here to watch their favourites in action. FAO officials should pray for an East Bengal-Mohun Bagan final. If that happens, certainly the demand for tickets will increase.
Meanwhile a senior FAO official informed Saturday that the gates for the spectators at the Barabati Stadium will open at 3pm in the afternoon.
However, in spite of the demand for tickets being very low, people in large numbers thronged the venues where the teams trained Saturday. When Bengaluru FC and India striker Sunil Chhetri visited the Barabati Stadium in the evening, those present made a beeline for a selfie with India’s most successful goalscorer.
Oriya player Pankaj Sona, who is a member of the Churchill squad, was also the cynosure of all eyes at the Reserve Police Ground here. He is expected to take the field Sunday against East Bengal.
PNN
