Shillong, Aug 23: To accommodate supporters travelling from various parts of the state to Shillong for the highly anticipated Durand Cup semi-final match between Shillong Lajong FC and North East United FC, tickets will be made available for purchase in the districts of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.
This was announced by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Shakliar Warjri, on Friday.
“Tickets will be available for purchase starting Saturday,” the Minister said.
Warjri emphasized that the decision aims to ease access for fans and ensure widespread availability.
The match, originally scheduled to take place in Kolkata, has been relocated to Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. due to security concerns in Kolkata following widespread protests over the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor.
For the fans and supporters of Shillong Lajong FC, the relocation of the Durand Cup semi-final to Shillong has been a source of great joy.
To enhance the matchday experience for fans, fan parks will be set up at various locations in Shillong and other parts of the state. These parks will feature large screens, allowing supporters to watch the Durand Cup semi-final match live.
The decision to sell tickets in other districts follows concerns about ticket scalping during the quarter-final match, where tickets originally priced at Rs 100 were resold for over Rs 1,000 due to high demand. This situation caused significant frustration among fans, who have called on authorities to address the issue of illegal ticket resale.
Fans complained that they had come to Shillong to buy tickets for the quarter-final match but couldn’t get them. That is when, a scalper approached them, offering to sell the tickets at 10 times the original rate.
The semi-final match between Shillong Lajong FC and North East United FC is anticipated to be one of the most significant derby matches ever held in Shillong. The Durand Cup, being one of the oldest and most prestigious football tournaments in India, adds to the excitement and importance of this clash.
The previous match drew a remarkable crowd of 14,988 attendees, with tickets selling out five hours before the event.
