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Exorbitantly expensive tickets for early World Cup games still on general sale

By The Associated Press

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Tickets for most of the World Cup group games remain on general sale with just over a month to go until the tournament kicks off on June 11.

But prices are exorbitantly high, topping out at $4,105 for the United States’ opening game against Paraguay in Los Angeles, and many costing around $2,000.

Tickets are still available on FIFA’s official website through its “last-minute sales” section after batches had been released through various phases since September.

The cheapest tickets currently are $380 for seven different games, including World Cup debutant Curacao vs. Ivory Coast in Philadelphia.

Prices vary dependent on the category of ticket, with Front Category 1 the most expensive and Category 4 the cheapest. Yet a Category 3 ticket for USA vs. Paraguay is listed at $1,120 compared to a Category 2 ticket for Austria vs Jordan, which is $380.

Prices are also subject to change as FIFA adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in January the demand for tickets for this year’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico was the equivalent of “1,000 years of World Cups at once”, and all 104 matches would be sold out.

While only a handful of tickets remain for some games, fans willing and able to pay can still watch even the biggest nations such as defending champion Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France and England.

Tickets for Lionel Messi’s Argentina range from $2,475-$2,925. For Brazil it is $2,280-$2,310.

FIFA has been accused by fans of a “monumental betrayal” on ticket costs, but soccer’s governing body has repeatedly defended its pricing strategy.

“There are expensive tickets, yes, and there are also affordable tickets,” Infantino said Thursday in addressing the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia. “And what is important is that all the revenues that we generate from the world go back to you, go back to the entire world and finance football in all of your countries, and you know it better than me, in big majority of our countries, we could not have organized football the way we know it without the grants and the revenues and the Forward program.”

Fans have been further angered by the addition of more expensive categories as the tournament approaches. Many of the tickets still on general sale are for the more expensive categories.

Tickets are also available via resale platforms including FIFA’s own marketplace and last month four seats for the World Cup final were listed at just under $2.3 million each. FIFA does not resell tickets or set prices on the platform, but can cash in for a second time by taking a 30% cut from any sale.

Cheapest group-stage tickets on general sale

Austria vs. Jordan, New Zealand vs. Egypt, Jordan vs. Algeria, Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, Algeria vs. Austria, Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan and Curacao vs. Ivory Coast are all currently available for $380.

There are also a number of games with prices ranging from $400-$455.

Most expensive group-stage tickets on general sale

The USA’s opener against Paraguay on June 12 is the most expensive for the group games. While a number of tickets remain on general sale, the cheapest are $1,120 for Category 3.

Argentina vs. Austria ($2,925), Ecuador vs. Germany ($2,550), Uruguay vs. Spain ($2,520) and England vs. Croatia ($2,505) are also among the costliest.

Some games are sold out

A total of 17 group-stage games are sold out according to FIFA’s website, including the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on June 11.

Seven games staged in Mexico are sold out, including the co-host’s two other matches against South Korea in Guadalajara and Czech Republic in Mexico City.

Turkey vs. USA in Los Angeles, Brazil vs. Morocco in New York/New Jersey and Scotland vs. Brazil in Miami are among other games sold out.

Knockout stages

No tickets for the final are on general sale, but there is still the chance to book seats for semifinals if you have around $10,000 going spare.

A Front Category 1 ticket for the Atlanta semifinal is listed at $9,660. It’s even more for the Dallas semifinal, with an equivalent ticket priced at $11,130.

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AP Soccer Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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