It only took 20 minutes before Hong Kong’s next home game in their 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification campaign was sold out. On 3rd July, at 10:00 am sharp, HKFA released the tickets via the online booking system “citylink” and by 10:20 all of them were gone.
The game against Qatar will take place on 8th September at Mong Kok Stadium with a capacity for about 6,500 people, as the Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay is still under renovation and will only be ready for the highly anticipated match against China in November.
Generally, the news about the ticket frenzy was well received, which also means the third consecutive “full house” for the representative team. Once more, we will see a “red flag” hoisted on the match day, a traditional signal in the city for a sold-out venue. However, it also lays bare Hong Kong’s obvious lack in mid-sized stadiums (10-20,000 seats) that could give more people the opportunity to enjoy such an important game without running the risk of playing in front of half-empty stands. Currently, the only alternative would be the far-flung and quite unpopular Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground with a capacity for around 12,000 people.
