ZÜRICH: Tickets for the 2018 soccer World Cup in Russia go on sale from Thursday, the sport’s global governing body (FIFA) has said. Tickets will be sold in two phases, the first of which has an application period which runs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 12. Fans can apply for individual match tickets, tickets for a specific venue or ticket strips to follow the national team of their choice in this phase. Applications for tickets can only be made on the FIFA website (www.fifa.com/tickets) and anyone who applies during the first phase of sales will be informed of the success or failure of their applications by Nov. 16. The first phase then concludes with a period between Nov. 16 and Nov. 28 during which tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. “We have put in place a ticketing system that will enable all fans a fair chance to secure tickets,” FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said in a statement. The second phase of ticket sales has also been split into two periods. The first runs from Dec. 5, 2017 to Jan. 31, 2018, with allocations in this period to be decided by a random selection draw. From March 13 to April 3, tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. There will also be a “last-minute” sales phase from April 18 to July 15, the day of the World Cup final, which will also be implemented on a first-come, first-served basis. All fans attending matches at the World Cup will also need to apply for a FAN ID, a free official identity document required by the Russian authorities. The FAN ID includes benefits such as visa-free entry to the Russian Federation, as well as free use of public transport on match days. Published in Daily Times, September 13th 2017.