The eagerly anticipated match between Turkish side Galatasaray and visitors Barcelona set a record for football ticket prices in Turkey before kick-off on Tuesday evening in the second round of the league phase of the Champions League, amid strong demand that led to all tickets put on sale selling out.
Record Galatasaray-Barcelona ticket prices
The highest recorded ticket price reached 75,000 Turkish liras, equivalent to about 2,180 dollars, making it the highest in the history of football matches in the country, according to Turkish media reports on the prices accompanying the European clash. Prices were divided into several categories, with a “Deluxe” ticket costing about 1,360 euros, or approximately 1,450 dollars, followed by the “Lux” category at 1,223 euros, equivalent to about 1,300 dollars.
A “Classic” ticket cost 1,178 euros, or about 1,250 dollars. Prices for the mid-range categories were 906, 815, 724, 634, 543, 453 and 407 euros, equivalent to approximately between 965 and 433 dollars. The lower-priced categories were listed at 272, 235 and 63 euros, while the cheapest ticket cost about 51 euros, or approximately 54 dollars.
Tickets sell out as Istanbul arrests made
Despite these record prices, all tickets on offer sold out. The stands at Rams Park, which has a capacity of more than 53,000 spectators, are expected to be packed with Galatasaray fans as the club hosts Barcelona, led by its manager Hansi Flick. The high demand also had security consequences, as Turkish authorities, represented by the security and police forces, carried out an operation in Istanbul on Monday.
The operation resulted in the arrest of nine people suspected of involvement in illegal ticket-reselling operations and exploiting the high demand for the match, according to the Anadolu Agency.
On the eve of the match, a large number of Galatasaray supporters gathered throughout the night outside the hotel where the Barcelona delegation was staying. The fans set off fireworks and flares in large numbers around the hotel in an attempt to disturb the Spanish team’s players and deprive them of sleep and rest before the European clash.
