More tickets released!

Rugby League fans will have the chance to access a limited release of tickets to the 2008 World Cup Final in Brisbane on November 22 from yesterday.

The initial public allocation sold out in July prompting organisers to review all reserved seating allocations for the Tournament which starts next month.

Tickets are being released for the Final at Suncorp Stadium and a number of other marquee games including the Opening Ceremony match between Australia-New Zealand (October 26); Australia versus England in Melbourne (November 2); Semi-Finals in Brisbane (Nov 15) and Sydney (Nov 16).

Tournament Director and RLIF Chairman Mr Colin Love AM said the release was part of a commitment to ensure a maximum number of tickets for the general public.

“I have little doubt that the tickets for the Final in Brisbane will be gone very quickly indeed and it is unlikely that any further allocations will become available,” he said.

“Certainly it is a response to a strong demand from Australian fans for the tickets to the big games.”

RLWC organisers yesterday confirmed that with Brisbane having won the right to host both the World Cup Final and a Semi-final, Sydney fans will be guaranteed that their Semi-final on November 16 will feature the Kangaroos should they reach that stage of the Tournament.

Confirmation of the allocation ensures a spread of feature matches throughout the major cities with Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Townsville, Rockhampton, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Penrith, Parramatta, Gosford and Wollongong all showcasing the 18-match event involving 10 nations.

Townsville will host the first game of the Tournament on October 25 between England and Papua New Guinea; with the Official Opening Ceremony on October 26 at the Sydney Football Stadium featuring a clash between New Zealand and the defending champions Australia.

The Opening Ceremony will also feature an historic exhibition encounter between an Australian Indigenous team and a New Zealand Maori team.

Melbourne has emerged as one of the highlight venues of the 29-day Tournament with strong interest building around Australia’s Centenary year showdown with England at the Telstra Dome on November 2.

The match places Rugby League at the centre of a spectacular Melbourne sporting weekend that features the start of the Spring Racing Carnival with Derby day on November 1 and the Melbourne Cup on November 4; and an AFL international on October 31.

The Semi-final in Sydney will be held at the Sydney Football Stadium on November 16, while the other Semi-final will be played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium the previous day, just one week before the Final.
“We believe we have been able to ensure a great spread of events that will showcase Australia’s premier destinations to television audiences in over 100 countries,” Mr Love said.

“The excitement building around the tournament is incredible and the support from broadcasters and sponsors has ensured that we are going to stage a world-class event that will showcase the best in Rugby League.”