JFA blames BFF over 'fake tickets'

There was a huge demand for tickets the day before the opening match of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, but the turnout at the 12,000-capacity Shamsul Huda Stadium in Jessore reached approximately 8000.

There have been allegations that the spectators could not buy the tickets from the designated outlets, most of which remained closed, and some spectators had to return home due to not having holograms on the tickets. Even police arrested a ticket-selling truck operated by Jessore Football Association (JFA) alleging that they were selling fake tickets with no hologram.

“We could not distribute tickets properly because the Bangladesh Football Federation delayed in sending tickets to us. I gave 7000 tickets for distribute but we still have 2000 unsold,” said JFA president Asaduzzaman Mithu blaming that the game's governing body sent many tickets without holograms which were treated as 'fake tickets' by the police.

Mithu also showed tickets of the Malaysia-Nepal match without holograms and questioned how they would distribute today's match tickets because they received those only after the match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka yesterday.