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CHAN KINWA

The Hong Kong Football Association has denied local fans have been discriminated against after being granted only 2,000 tickets for the crucial World Cup qualifier against China in Shenzhen next month.
Usually, visiting team fans receive at least 8 per cent of the tickets – which would be 3,200 at the 40,000-seat Baoan Stadium – while HKFA chairman Brian Leung Hung-tak said in June that he would be asking for even more.
Those pleas apparently fell on deaf ears, leading some to speculate that the Chinese Football Association was "punishing" Hong Kong fans for booing the national anthem in their last two home qualifiers.

The venue can hold 40,000 spectators but they only sell about 80 per cent of tickets due to security reasons
Pui Kwan-kay
But HKFA vice-chairman Pui Kwan-kay, who accompanied Leung to Beijing last month to talk with Chinese counterparts on match arrangements, insisted there was nothing out of the ordinary with the figure.
“The venue can hold 40,000 spectators but they only sell about 80 per cent of tickets due to security reasons,” he said. “And 2,000 tickets for the visiting team is not too far away from that [2,560], bearing in mind that 8 per cent is only an indicative figure as the organisers have discretion over ticket sales.”
The highest-priced tickets for the game will be a "staggering" 1,680 yuan (HK$2,100), with the next tier at 800 yuan. In comparison, at the ongoing East Asian Cup Championship in Wuhan where China are playing against the likes of Japan and South Korea, ticket prices are 160 yuan to 320 yuan.
READ MORE: Why Hong Kong fans should (reluctantly) heed Fifa warning not to boo anthem

Pui denied the high prices were to "scare off" Hong Kong fans accustomed to paying much less for national team matches.
“The highest-priced tickets are for the best seating and won’t be given to visiting fans,” said Pui. “We understand they will allocate seats for Hong Kong fans behind either goals and it should be much cheaper.
READ MORE: All our coverage on Hong Kong's World Cup 2018 Qualification bid
“But we are happy to see our mainland counterparts set the tickets at such staggering figures – that means they’re taking the match very seriously and consider it one of their most important games.”

Tension between Hong Kong and mainland soccer fans has been bubbling over since local fans booed and jeered the national anthem before matches against Bhutan and the Maldives at Mong Kok Stadium in June. Mainland supporters vowed to fight back at their home match against Hong Kong on September 3.
An ill-judged promotional poster campaign by the CFA mentioning "white skin, brown skin, yellow skin" Hong Kong players also did not go down well.
They will take every precaution to ensure the match finishes without any trouble
Local source
“The match falls on a very special memorial day on the victory against Japan in the second world war and the emotion will be very high for many Chinese fans,” said a source who has been working with the Chinese Football Association for many international events.
“They will take every precaution to ensure the match finishes without any trouble and strict crowd control will be implemented.”
When Hong Kong last beat China in a World Cup qualifier, in Beijing in 1985, disgruntled home fans threw bottles at the visiting team and rioted in the streets of the capital.
Hong Kong lead the group with two wins, followed by China and Qatar who both have three points after winning their opening matches.


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Xi Jinping’s World Cup dream, tattoo bans and Carlos Tevez: Chinese football in the 2010s

No goals, no fans, no TV: Koreas draw 0-0 in blacked-out World Cup qualifier

Tiny Solomon Islands now ranked ahead of Hong Kong in latest Fifa men’s rankings

2018 Fifa World Cup Asian qualifying

Hong Kong v China - fans not being punished by paltry ticket allocation, says HKFA

A Hong Kong fan boos before the Maldives game. Photo AP

A lone China fan watches his team take on South Korea in the East Asian Cup. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong's Jaimes McKee in action. Photo: SCMP

Hong Kong fans watch their team in June. Photo: SCMP

Fifa has a cheek to lecture Hong Kong fans about booing China national anthem - but they ought to heed the warning

Hong Kong fans boo the Chinese national anthem at the 2018 World Cup Asian qualifying match between Hong Kong and Maldives. Photo: AP

Fifa has been dogged by scandal in recent months, yet it has waded in over the booing of the Chinese anthem. Photo: EPA

Hong Kong fans made their feelings known shouting "We are Hong Kong" during the city's last World Cup qualifier. Photo: AP

Hong Kong fans get 2,000 tickets for World Cup qualifying clash against China

Hong Kong fans will be keen to get tickets for the World Cup qualifying match against China. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

China soccer fans furious as thousands of Hong Kong supporters boo national anthem

Hong Kong fans cheer a goal against Bhutan. Photo: AP

Hong Kong's Godfred Karikari controls the ball as he is tackled by Karma Nidup of Bhutan. Photo: AP

Godfred Karikari in action in front of a "POWER OF HONG KONG" banner. Photo: AP

Hong Kong FA to fight for more tickets for Shenzhen showdown against ‘big brother’ China

Hong Kong fans show their support at the World Cup qualifier against  the Maldives at Mong Kok Stadium on Tuesday. Photos: K.Y.Cheng

Hong Kong are on a high after winning both their World Cup qualifiers.

Hong Kong football fans ignore pleas not to boo China national anthem ahead of win over Maldives 

A Hong Kong fan boos during the national anthem before the World Cup qualifier against the Maldives at Mong Kok Stadium. Hong Kong won 2-0. Photo: AP

Hong Kong players celebrate their 2-0 win over the Maldives. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Lam Ka-wai celebrates scoring Hong Kong's second goal in their 2-0 win over the Maldives. Photo: AP

Maldives' keeper Imran stops a header from Hong Kong's Lee Chi-ho. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Sport

Football

Most expensive tickets for game in Shenzhen will be a staggering 1,680 yuan, 5-10 times the norm for China matches


The Hong Kong Football Association has denied local fans have been discriminated against after being granted only 2,000 tickets for the crucial World Cup qualifier against China in Shenzhen next month.
