India Vs Uruguay: Tickets Slashed From Rs 1,999 To Rs 199 - Will Kolkata Finally Fill Salt Lake?

Just days after India’s high-profile friendly against Brazil failed to fill the Salt Lake Stadium, tickets for the national team’s next match in Kolkata have been reduced by 90 per cent.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that tickets for selected sections of the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan will now be available for Rs 199 for India’s friendly against Uruguay on Tuesday.

The C2 Left and C2 Right blocks, which were priced at Rs 1,999 until Sunday morning, have been brought down to Rs 199.

The decision comes after the October 3 meeting between India and Brazil drew 51,402 spectators. With the stadium having a reported capacity of around 85,000, more than 33,000 seats were left vacant for the match.

Brazil’s presence had generated significant interest in Kolkata, with the five-time world champions bringing several of their leading players to India. Vinicius Jr., Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos were among the Brazil stars who featured as the visitors defeated India 4-0.

Despite the stature of the opposition, the Salt Lake Stadium did not come close to capacity. Ticket prices had already been a subject of discussion before the Brazil game, with the cost of entry being cited as one reason for the lower-than-expected turnout.

The latest reduction means fans can now attend the Uruguay game in the same stadium for almost a tenth of the earlier price in the selected sections.

Uruguay, meanwhile, will provide another major test for India. The two-time FIFA World Cup winners are ranked 20th in the world, while India are 138th. The match will be Uruguay's first in India.

The fixture will also bring India's international window to an end. Khalid Jamil's side began with a 1-1 draw against Panama in Bengaluru before suffering the 4-0 defeat to Brazil in Kolkata.

India will now look to recover from that loss against Uruguay. Against Brazil, India had some promising passages during the early stages, combining well in possession, maintaining their defensive shape and trying to create opportunities on the counter.

Ryan Williams, who scored India's goal against Panama, remains one of the team's attacking options. Manvir Singh's direct running and Sahal Abdul Samad's link-up play also gave India some opportunities against Brazil, although they were unable to score.

The sharp change in ticket pricing comes in a city with a strong football following and after the Brazil match exposed a significant gap between the expected and actual attendance.

India Vs Uruguay Live Streaming

The organisers have also announced another initiative aimed at increasing the crowd for Tuesday's fixture.

Around 22,000 supporters who attended last year's Lionel Messi event in Kolkata but were unable to properly watch it amid the chaos surrounding the occasion will receive complimentary tickets for the Uruguay match, according to the information provided.

With tickets in two sections now available for Rs 199 and thousands of complimentary tickets also being distributed, the focus will be on whether the measures result in a larger crowd for India's final international friendly of the window.