Friday 13th will prove an unlucky date for over 200 Irish fans who will be unable to secure tickets for the upcoming first leg of the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2016 play-off versus Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica on November 13th.
The association had applied for 10 per cent of the overall allocation, double the obliged Uefa quota, yet have had to settle for somewhere in between - the 880 tickets given covers 7.6 percent of the overall allocation, meaning that much of the 1,175 applicants who have so far contacted the FAI will be left disappointed. If the 10 per cent requested had been allocated Ireland would have been able to facilitate 1,150 of those applicants.
The Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina has confirmed to the FAI today that it wishes to take up the full five per cent allocation of 2,500 tickets given to them for the second leg tie at the Aviva Stadium.
General admission tickets for that home leg on November 16th have sold out, although there are a limited number of premium level seats still available.
The FAI will distribute the tickets with a focus to rewarding and promoting their season ticket holders.
There will be 55 per cent of the tickets distributed to supporters from affiliated football leagues, clubs, Board and National Council members, players/staff, Club Ireland members, and Jack Charlton Lounge patrons. Then 30 per cent will be allocated to independent supporters who are members of Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporter Clubs and Fans’ Direct and the remaining 15 per cent will be provided to supporters travelling with the FAI’s official travel partner, Abbey Travel.
The allocations to independent supporters registered with Fans’ Direct will be made on a points based system. This system collates data from Autumn 2012 (the start of 2014 World Cup qualification) and supporters have been awarded points on an individual basis as follows:
There are 70 points awarded for a Season Ticket purchased for each season from the 2012/13 season, 20 points for each away match attended since September 2012 and 10 points for each single home match attended since the 2012/13 season (if not a Season Ticket holder).
Allocations to Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporter Clubs will be based on the numbers of season tickets held by each club and divided accordingly among Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporter Clubs.
Within the 30 per cent of away tickets allocated to Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporter Clubs and Fans’ Direct, away tickets will be split on a pro-rata basis based on season tickets held by Supporters’ Clubs and the number of members registered with Fans’ Direct.
