THE Football Association of Malaysia has denied allegations that it received complimentary tickets from FIFA to watch the 2022 World Cup matches in Qatar.
FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman stated that claims made by a veteran journalist in a local news portal article are completely unfounded.
He emphasised that FAM did not receive any free tickets from FIFA despite being a member association of the international football body.
Noor Azman clarified that every FIFA member association, including FAM, was allocated a ticket purchase quota for the 2022 World Cup matches.
He revealed that FAM purchased only 92 tickets from a maximum allocation of 290 available tickets.
The ticket allocation was intended for purchase by Executive Committee members, FAM affiliates, sponsors, and related stakeholders according to FIFA’s letter dated June 17, 2022.
The purchased tickets comprised 72 for the group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, and third-place playoff, plus 20 for the opening match, semi-finals, and final.
Noor Azman added that FAM has never sold World Cup tickets to Malaysian football fans and supporters, including for the 2022 World Cup edition. – Bernama