Match in Africa: Federer vs Nadal tickets being resold at double price

The Match in Africa between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is the hottest ticket in Cape Town this weekend and people are desperate to gain entry to the sold-out event.

Organisers of the match put 48,000 tickets on sale late last year, and they sold out within minutes, but it seems some ticket holders are eager to make a quick buck by flipping them for a massive profit.

Fans warned against second-hand tickets for Federer vs Nadal

Tickets for the event started from R150 for upper-tier seats with the price naturally increasing as the seats get closer to courtside at the Cape Town Stadium. The most expensive tickets went for R1,950 still a fairly reasonable price for an event of this nature.

Organisers had deliberately kept the event affordable as they were keen to sell out and set a record for attendance at a tennis match. The proceeds from the authorised ticket sales go towards the Roger Federer Foundation, which will use the money the event generates to support children’s education on the African continent.

According to a report from the Business Insider, tickets were being resold for R4,702.88 on StubHub, and from R3,000 for upper-tier tickets on Xchangetickets.com while lower-tier tickets were selling for R5,350.00. It is worth noting that the upper-tier tickets are nosebleed seats high up in the massive Cape Town Stadium.

Organisers have warned tennis fans not to buy second-hand tickets as their authenticity cannot be verified. Re-sale of tickets for the event is also a criminal offence and being in possession of a re-sold or fake ticket could land fans in legal trouble.

Reselling tickets is a crime

“Reselling tickets on the grey and black market is illegal and the tickets sold there are overpriced and in some cases may be fake,” said a statement issued by the Roger Federer Foundation.

The Match in Africa is the sixth edition of an event that started as ‘the Match for Africa’. The Federer vs Nadal match will be the first for both men in South Africa which no longer sports a stop on the ATP Tour. As a curtain-raiser, fans will be treated to a celebrity- pro doubles match with Bill Gates and Trevor Noah partnering Federer and Nadal respectively.

The main event will get underway at 20:30 (SAST) and will also be broadcast on Supersport and streamed live on ATP Tennis TV (The official streaming service of the ATP is available at $14.99 per month).