Fever for Bolivia vs. Brazil: Fans Camp Out in El Alto for Tickets
The anticipation for the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Bolivia and Brazil, scheduled for September 9 in El Alto, has generated an unusual mobilization of local fans. Since the weekend, a large number of fans have chosen to spend the night near the Municipal stadium, with the firm intention of securing a place to acquire the coveted tickets. Makeshift shops of various colors and sizes, some covered with plastic, surround the stadium located 4,090 meters above sea level, where the fans endure the low temperatures and the presence of scalpers.The fans have organized into groups to manage shifts and prevent other individuals from getting ahead in line.“I’ve been here since last night. I happened to come to see if there was a line and there are people who have been here since Monday, we have slept here, I come for my children because they are fans of Brazil and also to support the team (…) You have to go through cold, heat, last night it drizzled, but we have to keep going until we get it.”
Jeimy C.
The stadium, known as ‘el Titán’ of El Alto, has an approximate capacity of 25,000 spectators. However, the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) put approximately 17,500 tickets on sale for this match. Of these, 6,000 will be sold on Saturday, while the remaining 11,500 were offered online and have already sold out.
Fans line up around the sports venue to purchase tickets for different sections, with prices ranging from 60 to 350 Bolivianos (9 to 50 dollars). A follower reported that he has been sleeping in the stadium since Sunday night to get three tickets for himself and his brothers.According to the testimony, some people who managed to occupy the first places in line over the weekend are now trying to sell those places for up to 50 Bolivianos ($7 dollars). Fans have asked the FBF to take measures to control ticket sales, concerned about potential conflicts with those seeking to purchase tickets for resale. While waiting for Saturday, fans spend time under the sun, some using their phones, others looking for food, and others resting in their tents. Street food vendors and snack sellers have already set up around the stadium to offer everything from sweets to typical regional dishes. Bolivia and Brazil will face each other in matchday 18 of the South American qualifiers. La Verde occupies eighth place in the qualifiers with 17 units. It is one point behind Venezuela, which is in the repechage zone, and above Peru and Chile, who have accumulated 12 and 10, respectively.“They gave us tokens with numbers so that we would respect that order when buying tickets, but last night there were fights with scalpers who wanted to be at the front.”
Fan
