Ticket sales for 2016 Olympics begin

Sports fans interested in buying tickets for the 2016 Olympic Games can now register to the official website (http://www.rio2016.com/), which provides further details on the competitions. Seventy percent of the tickets are reserved for buyers based in Brazil, and 30% for non-residents. A total 7.5 million tickets will be up for sale including 3.8 million priced up to $27, the Organizing Committee announced at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday (Jan. 15).

The applications phase runs until February and is the first of four stages in the sales program. Beginning on March, registered applicants will be able to select their preferred sports, session times, number of tickets, and viewing areas on the Ticket Portal. This step will allow them to participate in two draws, with results to be announced in June and August. According to the rules, applicants must place their orders in the first draw in order to be eligible to participate in the second one.

The third phase will consist of online sales and will take place in October; and the fourth and final stage is direct sales at ticket offices, which will not begin until June 2016. Applicants not based in Brazil can buy their tickets from authorized resellers to be announced in March.

The chairman of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, estimates that about 60% of the tickets will be sold to those successful in the draw at the second ticketing stage. “This means Brazilian applicants are advised to join at this stage to have more chances of securing their tickets.”

Ticket prices range from $15 to $1,760.00 (which applies to the opening ceremony ticket for August 5, 2016). According to the committee, 51% of the tickets will cost up to $27; 81% will be priced below $115, and only 3% of the total number of tickets will be sold at over $230.

Translated by Mayra Borges