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Hong Kong football fans have slammed the ticketing arrangements for the city’s match against Singapore at Kai Tak Stadium, as seats for next Tuesday’s sell-out clash appeared on resale platforms at inflated prices. Tickets for the Asian Cup qualifying match sold out in less than 80 minutes last Friday. They went on sale at 3pm via online platform Ticketflap, and the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) announced at 4.17pm they had sold out. Supporters flooded the HKFA’s social media pages to complain, while listings soon appeared on sites including online marketplace Carousell, with one offering three tickets in the upper-level fans zone for HK$4,000 (US$515) – nearly 17 times the original total price of HK$240.   The HKFA did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.   “Even Blackpink cannot sell out within 80 minutes at Kai Tak,” one fan said, referring to the K-pop band’s concert at the same stadium, which sold out in a little more than 90 minutes in June. Fans cheer for Hong Kong during October’s clash with Bangladesh at Kai Tak. Photo: Sam Tsang   Many fans attributed the speedy sell-out to the abandonment of real-name registration and questioned why it had not been retained after being adopted for the match against Bangladesh in October to ensure fairness. “Last time it was fast and smooth,” one fan commented. “Without real-name registration, I kept clicking but could not get in. Why not keep the same system?” “Buying tickets for this match is harder than travelling to Bangladesh to support Team Hong Kong,” another fan said. “I have supported Team Hong Kong for two years. This is the first time I cannot get a ticket.” Several lamented queuing throughout the sale in vain, with some calling the new arrangement “chaotic” and “unfair”. “I saw the link at 2pm and queued immediately. By 4pm, the tickets were already gone,” one said. The ticket arrangement was released only 21 hours before general sales began, allowing less notice and a different start time than for previous games.   Anger deepened as fans saw tickets almost immediately appearing on resale platforms, raising concerns that scalpers had snapped up large quantities. “Scalpers have everything from two- to six-seat blocks, upper and lower sections, even the fans zone,” one said. Some of the online listings requested that buyers send direct messages for price inquiries and stressed it was “not the original price”. Some Hong Kong fans admitted they had registered through the Football Association of Singapore to secure seats in the away fans’ area. Saying it was the only way to get a ticket, the Hong Kong supporters said they succeeded in obtaining away fan presale access and bought tickets. The Hong Kong men’s team have set local attendance records since Kai Tak Stadium opened in March. They drew more than 42,000 spectators to their 1-0 victory over India in June and followed that with a draw against Bangladesh in front of 45,489. Those attendances contrasted with the crowds of consistently under 10,000 that attended the team’s games at the old home of Hong Kong Stadium, which can hold 40,000. The ticket prices of HK$80 to HK$200 for the Singapore match contrasted, too, with the higher cost of seats for the visits of foreign football clubs, along with those for other events at the new stadium, such as the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and major concerts. Hong Kong take on India at the new stadium in June. Photo: Elson Li   A cheaper opportunity to experience the state-of-the-art stadium has also coincided with the Hong Kong team’s recent run of good results.   Tickets for Hong Kong’s friendly match against Cambodia at Hong Kong Stadium on Thursday remained available two days before kick-off, with regular seats priced at HK$160 and concession tickets for students, the elderly and disabled as low as HK$40. The first 500 buyers for the Cambodia match were granted access to presale tickets for the Singapore clash, with a two-ticket limit.