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FRANCE 98 Ticket Sales

WORLD CUP MATCH PROGRAMME

The World Cup finals will take place between 10 June and 12 July 1998. First round matches start on Wednesday 10 June and end Friday 26 June 1998. The round of 16 matches will be played from Saturday 27 to Tuesday 30 June, at Bordeaux, Lens, Marseille, Montpellier, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse.

Quarter-final matches are to be played on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 July, at Lyon, Nantes, Marseille and Saint-Denis. With the venues evenly distributed throughout the country in this way, spectators from all regions will be able to attend these matches.

The semi-finals will be played on Tuesday 7 July at Marseille and Wednesday 8 July at Saint-Denis.

The match for the third place is to be staged on Saturday 11 July in Paris. The Final will take place on Sunday 12 July at Saint-Denis.

Thanks to a carefully-planned fixture list, conceived in the spirit of sporting fairness, spectators in each host city will be able to enjoy entertainment on a grand scale, from the opening game to the World Cup Final itself.

For the first time in World Cup history each team will play its three first round matches in different cities. Each team will therefore move twice and each city will be playing host to at least two seeded teams. Furthermore, at least one round of 16 match and one quarter-final match will be played at each venue. Consequently, spectators in each host city will have the chance to see a minimum of between nine and twelve different teams, including two of the eight best teams in the world.

Moreover, matches at Saint-Denis and in Paris will systematically be played on different dates, as will matches in Lyon and St-Etienne. This means that the most avid fans could see as many as 15 games in their area.

The names of the thirty participating nations, along with France, the host nation and Brazil, the holder, will not be known before the end of 1997. A draw will decide which teams play in which cities. Brazil however, as holder, is the exception to this rule and will play in the opening game in Saint-Denis and then at Nantes and Marseille. One thing is certain, however: the new system of rotation for the seeded nations will ensure that each city enjoys an unprecedented feast of football.

Products and Sales period

The FRANCE 98 PASS

The France 98 PASS, the ultimate World Cup ticket, has been especially devised for football lovers around the country.

The PASS guarantees entry to 5 or 6 matches in one city including:

With the FRANCE 98 PASS you will be able to see:

3 categories of tickets will go on sale, all guaranteeing a numbered seat. A 4th category will operate for the Stade de France, which has a capacity of 80,000.

Reservations

When : As of 27 November 1996.

How : Through Crédit Agricole branches: reservation information and brochures may be obtained at 8,000 Crédit Agricole branches around the country, and direct reservations can be made at 2,500 branches.

MATCH tickets : opening game, quarter-finals, semi finals, match for the third place, Final.

Tickets for all matches will be sold individually for the first round matches and opening game on 10 June, plus the quarter finals, semi-finals, third place match and Final, which take place between Friday 3 July and Sunday12 July. In the interests of fairness, tickets will be allocated by a draw, with a limit of two tickets per person.

Reservations

When : Reservations can be made as of Autumn 1997.

How :

The FRANCE 98 PASS will be sold on a "first come first served" basis and a maximum of 4 may be sold to any one person.

Individual ticket sales : first round matches and first round of 16 matches. In addition to the FRANCE 98 PASS, a limited number of individual tickets will be on sale for these matches.

Reservations

When : Reservations can be made as of February 1998

How : Trough Crédit Agricole branches around the country.

When and how to obtain tickets abroad

Tickets may be obtained outside France from:

FOOTBALL FEDERATIONS
In line with FIFA's 1998 World Cup regulations, 20% of all match tickets (in equal proportion per category) will go to FIFA member football federations. These tickets will then be sold according to FIFA conditions.

TOUR OPERATOR
The French Organising Committee is currently conducting a survey of ticket sale methods abroad via tour operators. After the lessons learned from EURO 96 ticket sales in England and in an effort try to ensure that all tickets sold will be used, the following conditions will apply.

Tour operator meeting stringent requirements will be pre-selected by the French Organising Committee. In order to avoid the reselling of tickets at exorbitant prices, no exclusive regional rights will be accorded.

FRANCE 98 Selections

The Organising Committee has devised a number of packages for businesses, societies and other professional organisations: the France 98 Selections. Marketed directly by the Organising Committee and comprising hospitality boxes and "prestige" seats, they are designed for companies to promote public relations with their clients, as well as providing an opportunity to:

A wide range of packages is available, catering for all budgets, and suitable for:

FRANCE 98 HOSPITALITY BOXES : comfort and friendly atmosphere For business people and their guests, comprising:

Price: varies according to size of box, location in stadium, amenities provided, competition stage and number of matches scheduled for the venue.

At Nantes, for example, hospitality boxes for up to 4 people are available from FF 60,000 (VAT not included).

FRANCE 98 Prestige Seats:

The best seats at the heart of the event FRANCE 98 Prestige Seats provide some of the best vantage points in the ground. Three types of package will be on offer, catering for varying company budgets, and, depending on the type of package, offering services that include:

The Prestige Open: the "freestyle" ticket.

With the Prestige Open you gain guaranteed access to 12 World Cup matches, regardless of venue or stage of the tournament. The choice of matches can be made following the finals draw in December 1997.

For those who wish to follow one or several teams around France and who want to 'be there' for the big matches, the Prestige Open is their best option.

The Prestige Silver: excellent seats in the city of your choice. The Prestige Silver offers excellent seats for all the matches (5 or 6) in your host city, except in Marseille and Saint-Denis for the quarter-final, semi-final and final matches.

The Prestige Gold: the best seats in the stadium of your choice. The Prestige Gold package entitles you to the best seats at all games (5 or 6) in your chosen city, except in Marseille, Paris and Saint Denis for the quarter-final, semi-final and final games. It also gives you the right to buy tickets for all the big matches: the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals in Paris, Marseille and Saint-Denis. With Prestige Gold you are certain of being at the World Cup Final.

Price: Varies according to package, stadium and the number of matches.

Prestige tickets start at FF 7,900 excluding VAT (one place for six matches in Bordeaux).

Prices and sales schedule

Pricing policies - rundown

When and how to buy tickets

Your questions about FRANCE 98 tickets

I. THE Competition

1. How is the World Cup organised?
 nations are to take part in this 16th World Cup. The draw for the qualifying rounds took place in December 1995 in Paris. These matches are being played throughout different continents between March 1996 and November 1997. The draw for the World Cup finals matches will take place on 4 December 1997 in Marseille. By this date, the names of the 30 nations that qualify for the FRANCE 98 World Cup finals, together with host country France and present World Cup holder Brazil, will be known. The World Cup finals run from 10 June to 12 July 1998. Ten cities will play host to the 64 matches (48 in the first round) and a total of 32 rather than 24 teams - as has been the case in the past - will compete. For this reason, the World Cup in France in 1998 will be a completely new ball game!

2. Do we know where each team will be playing?
 No, we don't. The identities of the 30 nations qualifying, in addition to the host nation France and the present title holder Brazil, winner of the latest World Cup in the USA, will not be known before late 1997. Groups will then be decided by draw, as will match fixtures. For the moment only Brazil, who plays in the opening match as holder, knows its match agenda. One thing is certain, though: the new-style first round, whereby each team plays its first three games in three different stadiums, means that football lovers are in for a treat whichever venue they go to.

II. THE PRODUCTS AND NETWORKS OF DISTRIBUTION

1. When do tickets go on sale, and how can they be obtained?
 The opening date for the sale of the two million tickets for the first round matches was May 4 this year. On this occasion, FRANCE 98 decided to give a special advantage to the "footballing community" (clubs and associations) who were accorded priority booking privileges for the first round matches. Only for a limited period, however, and for a certain type of ticket. Ticket reservations for the general public started on 27 November 1996.

2. What kind of tickets are available?
 types of tickets are on offer:

PRESTIGE BOXES AND SEATS:
These packages, designed for companies wishing to foster public relations, can be purchased directly from the CFO.

3. What is the FRANCE 98 PASS?
 It consists of a package entitling the holder to see to 5 or 6 first round matches in one city (except for the opening game at Saint-Denis), and one round of 16 match (except at Lyon and Nantes, where no games are to be played at this stage of the competition).
The FRANCE 98 PASS is an attractive proposition to all football lovers. Each team will, in fact, be playing its 3 first round matches in 3 different cities, meaning that the FRANCE 98 PASS holders will be able to see different teams playing in each first round game, including at least 2 of the 8 top-ranking teams in the world.
In the interests of fairness, the number of FRANCE 98 PASS are limited to 4 per person. This will give everyone a fair chance of seeing the World Cup. It will operate on a "first come first served" basis..

4. It is possible to buy individual tickets for first round matches yet?
 In the first instance, tickets for all the matches being played in the first round are available under the FRANCE 98 PASS system. Individual tickets for the first round will only be on sale, in limited numbers, from the beginning of 1998.

5. Will the match schedule allow me to follow games taking place in different venues?
 Yes. The combinations of Paris/Saint-Denis and Lyon/Saint-Étienne will be particularly feasible in this respect. Their proximity has been taken into account when planning the match schedule. The cities closest to each other will not be staging matches on the same dates, making it possible to combine a LYON PASS with a SAINT-ÉTIENNE PASS, for example.

6. When will tickets be on sale for the second round matches (opening game, and quarter final, semi-final and final matches)?
 Tickets for the second round matches will be available individually from the end of 1997, and everyone will be able to start buying tickets on the same day. If necessary, allocation will be decided by a draw, in the interests of fairness.

7. How do I go about reserving my tickets?
 With 2.5 million tickets being sold, a vast operation which has never before been launched on such a scale in France, it was essential to set up distribution facilities with the maximum user-friendliness and efficiency, making the World Cup accessible to everyone! To start with, from 27 November you can obtain your reservation brochure from the 8,000 branches of Crédit Agricole, the Official Bank of the 1998 Football World Cup. You will be able to reserve your tickets directly in 2,500 of these branches. Reservations may also be made through the French Organising Committee by telephone (0 803 00 1998), by Minitel (3615 Code FRANCE 98) or by post, addressing your order to: FRANCE 98, B.P. 1998, 75201 PARIS Cedex 16.

8. Won't the sale of FRANCE 98 PASS encourage business on the black market?
 An analysis of FRANCE 98 PASS sales to the footballing community shows just the opposite: that the sale of tickets in this form is seen as a real "plus", because it means being able to enjoy a unique emotional experience with family or friends throughout the series of 5 or 6 World Cup matches. Each holder will nevertheless be personally responsible for respecting the general conditions of sale. In particular, the resale of tickets is strictly prohibited, and could lead to the immediate cancellation of the order by the French Organising Committee.

9. How are the Prestige Seats and Boxes in the "FRANCE 98 SELECTIONS" category being sold?
 Priority is obviously being given to the official World Cup commercial affiliates before sales begin to other businesses. The Organising Committee itself has been directly responsible for these sales since October of this year.

The FRANCE 98 SELECTIONS include a personalised welcome, a gift, restaurant meals and parking facilities, and are designed chiefly for public relations purposes. The ticket sales team for FRANCE 98 will be happy to provide any information required by companies interested in the packages, and can be contacted on: 01 44 14 10 60.

III. TICKET PRICES

1. How much do the tickets cost?
 As has been expressed by its Presidents Fernand SASTRE and Michel PLATINI, the Organising Committee really hopes to make this World Cup a Cup for the whole world, accessible to everyone. So out of 2,500,000 tickets, more than 500,000 will cost less than FF 150, and 1 in 2 tickets will cost FF 250 or less. And that's not all! The lowest category of first-round tickets costing FF 145 means that FRANCE 98 will truly be a World Cup for the people. For FRANCE 98 PASS, the Organising Committee has set prices ranging from FF 725 to FF 2,250 which may be paid by direct debit over 6 months. Holders of these tickets will be able to see different teams in each match, as well as at least two seeded teams.

2. What are the available facilities for paying by direct debit?
 You have the option of paying in 6 monthly instalments, to "sweeten" the method of payment. A LYON PASS in Category 3, for example, would thus cost only FF 120 per month for six months, + FF 20 for bank charges. This option has so far been chosen by 2/3 of ticket buyers.

3. Do I have a range of seats to choose from?
 FRANCE 98 has devised a comprehensive range of seat categories for the 64 matches in the ten different World Cup stadiums. There are 3 distinct categories of seated, numbered places to choose from in nine of the ten venues. Only the Stade de France at Saint-Denis has 4 different categories.

4. How are the seats categorised? Can I choose where I sit?
 Because the stadiums are undergoing extensive renovation, and also to ensure a high standard of safety, the exact division between the seat categories will not be known until 1998. But it is true to say that the higher the price of the FRANCE 98 PASS, the better the seat positions will be. The seats themselves will be allocated in chronological order as each reservation is registered. Starting from 27 November, the quicker you reserve a ticket, the better your seat will be (within the same category).

5. Will there be any free seats?
 No, the Organising Committee will not be distributing any free seats. However, there will be exceptions in the case of official journalists, certain VIPs invited to the official stand, and activities organised by the French Organising Committee for the youth programme.

IV. PRACTICALLY SPEAKING ...

1. When I want to buy a ticket, how do I know what is available in which host cities and for what price?
 Up-to-date information is available at all times, simply by keying in "3615 FRANCE 98" on your MINITEL, or dialling 0 803 00 1998 on your telephone. More comprehensive information on seat availability can be obtained at your local Crédit Agricole branch.

2. How many FRANCE 98 PASS can I buy?
 A maximum of 4 per person. The number of tickets is limited per match and per person: for the opening game, and also for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.

3. When will I receive the tickets I have reserved?
 FRANCE 98 will post written confirmation during the month following your reservation. You will also receive confirmation of payment. The tickets will only be sent out, by registered mail, from May 1998, to avoid possible counterfeiting or fraud.

4. Is it a problem if I change address between now and May 1998?
 You should inform FRANCE 98 as soon as you change address or bank, by writing before 1 April 1998 to: FRANCE 98, BP 1998, 75201 Paris Cedex 16,

5. Is it possible to go to games with three or more people?
 One person can buy up to 4 FRANCE 98 PASS. Otherwise you can reserve 4 seats side by side within one ticket order.

6. What facilities are available for the physically disadvantaged?
 A section of each ground is reserved for the physically disadvantaged. Those wishing to make use of these facilities should indicate it in their order form. The French Organising Committee will then contact them to find out their exact requirements.