The weekend I am going has Boca at home and River away, so was thinking of a trip to the Bombonera. What's the best way to get decent tickets? Not too keen on the "tourist guides" who offer an escorted experience with a large mark up. They are all over the web.

Any other suggestions? My understanding is that Velez Sarsfield, San Lorenzo, Racing and many other top flight teams are based in BA. It's the weekend of Nov 26. I notice that San Lorenzo are at home......

I found this site www.ticketek.com.ar but can't find any Boca tickets as being listed for sale. No problem for River and Racing.

You will probably never see Boca tickets on Ticketek, at least not for a Boca at home game. This is because they have a very small stadium, and tickets are basically sold out to season ticket holders. The very few remaining seats are usually given to the visiting team and these are sold to that teams club members.

As for the escorted tour issue, while the service they offer is certainly a for profit business, a complete evaluation of their asking price must consider the fact that most will provide additional services like transportation and an English speaking guide, plus the not to be overlooked fact that they procure tickets which would otherwise be very difficult (if not impossible, especially for a short term visitor) to obtain.

We paid the price for the escorted tickets to a Boca game.....
Good investment.

Pick up at hotel. Good seats. Tour of the club store/museum
The latter permits the main crowd to wander away after the game.

The whole process probably a first for the front desk man at our 2*+ hotel.......... :D

We'll stay at 3* next time :p

Happy wandering

Fred

Sorry, I think you are describing and extrapolating a superclassico (Boca-River). I follow Argentine football and they don't sell out for normal games. In fact, you often notice empty stands when you watch the games on TV. On Oct 15 the attendance was 42,000 against Newell's (a big name team) and capacity is 57,000. I read that you can queue up for general admission tickets on the day but it's a bit of a nightmare.......

I really don't want to do some pansy guided tour and pay USD 60 for a 30 peso ticket..... (I have survived the away terraces of Tynecastle in the 1980s amid the rubble and urine. :D ) I have seen some websites mention that you just go to the box office and buy the ticket?

Las entradas suelen estar disponibles entre Martes y Jueves previos a cada partido del torneo local. En el caso de partidos que se juegan entre-semana la misma se ponen en venta el Lunes/Martes previos a dicho encuentro.

Does this say tickets are only available between Tues and Thurs before the game?

Las entradas suelen estar disponibles entre Martes y Jueves previos a cada partido del torneo local. En el caso de partidos que se juegan entre-semana la misma se ponen en venta el Lunes/Martes previos a dicho encuentro.

Does this say tickets are only available between Tues and Thurs before the game?

The tickets are usually available between Tue and Thu before each game. If the game is played during weekdays tickets are sold on Mon-Tue before these games.

You can go to the stadium during the week and try to buy tickets. This is pretty simple if the game is against a small team. Just as a reference the other 4 big teams in Argentina are River Plate, Racing Club, Independiente and San Lorenzo. If the game you intend to see is against any other team chances will be pretty good for you. Now, if you don't speak Spanish try not to talk to anybody on the street and once you get to the window get your tickets (hint popular=general admission, platea=seated on the side of the field, palco=skybox) and get back to your hotel. Wear very casul clothing (jeans, t-shirt and crappy tennis shoes) and you should be fine. The tickets for Boca Juniors are sold a couple of blocks away from the stadium (I'll try to get the exact street address for you) and if you ask at your hotel to get a cab and instruct the driver to take you there you should not have any issues finding it. Again: use caution, dress casual, don't bring any large amount of cash and you'll get your tickets at face value.
If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Angel

Excellet info. Many thanks! Boca is playing a small team, Colon de Santa Fe.

I will be there on Nov 26. Here is the schedule:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/fixtures?league=arg.1&date=20061121&cc=5901

I guess my other options are San Lorenzo, Independiente, Nueva Chicago and Banfield in the area. The Independiente - Arsenal game might be the best match-up for a neutral..... Is it a pain to get out there?

BTW, Palco seating looks interesting. That's the odd looking long side of the ground with the little compartments where Diego Maradona holds court? Is it even possible to buy tickets for this section?

Is it correct that tickets are only 10-30 pesos each?

Sorry, I think you are describing and extrapolating a superclassico (Boca-River). I follow Argentine football and they don't sell out for normal games. In fact, you often notice empty stands when you watch the games on TV. On Oct 15 the attendance was 42,000 against Newell's (a big name team) and capacity is 57,000. I read that you can queue up for general admission tickets on the day but it's a bit of a nightmare.......

I really don't want to do some pansy guided tour and pay USD 60 for a 30 peso ticket..... (I have survived the away terraces of Tynecastle in the 1980s amid the rubble and urine. :D ) I have seen some websites mention that you just go to the box office and buy the ticket?

Las entradas suelen estar disponibles entre Martes y Jueves previos a cada partido del torneo local. En el caso de partidos que se juegan entre-semana la misma se ponen en venta el Lunes/Martes previos a dicho encuentro.

Does this say tickets are only available between Tues and Thurs before the game?

Forgive me, but, I assure you there is no extrapolation involved. If you want to see a Boca Juniors game at Boca, then getting tickets will always be an issue. Even against smaller teams, its not straightforward that you will get a ticket. Boca has demand for 100% of its seating capacity from folks that want season tickets..... and, since you dont seem to want to cue up, then your best bet is to join a tour. Im not saying it is impossible for you to get a ticket on your own, but you will have to do your homework and also hope that you are looking to see a game thats during the first part of the season (when nothing is at stake) and its against a very small team. Under that scenario, you may be able to get some of the tickets usually reserved for the visiting team. Good luck.

I have to agree with Gaucho100k about being harder to get tickets as the end of the season approaches. You can still try and if you don't get the tickets on the dates they go on sale you'll still have time to buy them from the brokers.
The $10-20 tickets are for general admission which is not recommended unless you want to be standing most of the game, be treated like cattle and risk your life (maybe a little extreme on my part :) ). Plateas: about 2 years ago I paid AR$100 for each one right under Diego Maradona's palco which is considereded "platea preferencial". I assume you can get some tickets on the oppostite side of the field (they are also plateas) for about AR$60-80 but that's just my guess. Palcos: AFAIK they don't sell tickets to get there.
If I were you I'd try to get the tickets trought Ticketek or by going to the stadium. If you can't get them and you still want to see a Boca Juniors match, then try your hotel concierge or one of the brokers and pay the premium. Your other option is to go to another game (you shouldn't have any problems buying the tickets even as late as the game day). Independiente's stadium is located in Avellaneda which is about 20 minutes from downtown BsAs. You can take a cab and they'll leave you a couple of blocks away from the stadium and then you can walk. If you go to Independiente make sure you buy tickets for Independiente's side. The visitors (especially if Independiente loose) have a hard time getting out of the stadium since they can be "attacked" from the top floor by Independiente's followers.
Well, now that I read your post again Independiente-Arsenal shouldn't be bad at all since they are neighbors and have a good relationship among themselves. Take a cab, get tickets, see the match, get out probably 10 minutes before the end of it and get a cab back to your hotel. That should do it for you.
Last comment: if Boca is fighting for the title at that point, pay the premium and go to La Bombonera. It would be worth every penny and you'll be a really happy soccer fan plus you'll be able to brag about your visit to one of the most popular soccer stadiums in the world ;)

Thanks again. The team that is playing against Boca is second last so don't think it will be competitive. It would certainly be an experience to go to La Bombonera, but I am leaning toward the Independiente game. I also notice that they move some games to Saturday as the date gets closer so maybe I can go to both games. :D

I just realized that Arsenal is also from Avellaneda as you point out, but getting good tickets is not a problem? I guess the big rivalry in Avellaneda is with Racing, even though Arsenal has maybe been the strongest team of the three in the past couple of years.

What is Avellaneda like otherwise?

When you and Gaucho say it's hard to get tickets, maybe you mean non-standing room? La Bombo has only 17k seats (plus 3k Palcos) out of 57k. (It's certainly not a small stadium!) Newell's only drew 42k for the last game, so demand really doesn't outstrip supply for your average game. The average attendance in Argentina is only like 15k for the league and most teams have 40k plus stadia. Brazil is the same way...... In reality, how many games apart from River Plate really sell out?

When you and Gaucho say it's hard to get tickets, maybe you mean non-standing room? La Bombo has only 17k seats (plus 3k Palcos) out of 57k. (It's certainly not a small stadium!) Newell's only drew 42k for the last game, so demand really doesn't outstrip supply for your average game. The average attendance in Argentina is only like 15k for the league and most teams have 40k plus stadia. Brazil is the same way...... In reality, how many games apart from River Plate really sell out?

Actually, when its Boca games at Boca, the largest demand is for standing space (populares). I hate to contradict you, but you must remember that your data speaks of averages. This means you are throwing in games like Gimnasia de Juyuy against Banfield, which may have extremely low turnouts, against the games you seem to want to see. It is simply not true that only Boca River games sell out. Games between the top 5-6 teams will regularly sell out and also, games between the title contender (no matter which team) against no-matter-who will also regularly sell out as the season comes closer to the final matches.

Please note, I dont mean to be contrarian in any way, Im just trying to assist you in managing your expectations. I hope you are able to get your tickets to all the games you are looking to see.

Cheers,
Gaucho

On a side note, I would ask all those that have used tour services to see games to please post the details of the companies they used, along with some comments on your experience. I think this will make this thread a super-valuable resource for this Argentina Forum.

Many thanks... ^ :D

Oh crap, according to a Bloomberg article you now have to be a member or AFA official to buy a ticket...... due to the Independiente-Racing riots.

I was hoping to get the tickets for Independiente-Arsenal next weekend.....

So I guess that the brokers are the only hope now, but do they even sell this Independiente game? I am actually not that keen on seeing Boca beat up on some crappy team.

How about some exceptions for foreigners? :D

BTW, Gaucho, I don't know if you specifically targeted your choice of "dull" teams in your earlier comment..... but Banfield are playing Jujuy next weekend. Maybe that's a nice and calm fixture. :)

I researched Nueva Chicago as they are playing at home on Saturday.....

The area's football (soccer) club, Nueva Chicago, was a staple of Argentine first division football during the 1980s. It spent most of the 1990s and 2000s playing in lower division, until promoted back in 2006. Its followers were notorious for their violent antics.

In theory I could have seen San Lorenzo on Friday, Nueva Chicago on Saturday, and Independiente, Banfield or Boca on Sunday.

I will be completely honest with you guys, with all thats going on in Argentine Football currently, I have no idea if the brokers are still able to sell tickets... I think its best to contact them directly and see if they are still able to offer the services.

The AFA (Argentine Football Association) seems to be getting its act together, so games are scheduled to go back to normal in the next weeks. This means that ticket should begin to be available for both home and visiting squads - ie. tickets to tourists will again be available.

Regardless, I still think that a tour service for these games is still worth it.

I had no problems getting tickets for Independiente this Sunday. I bought the most expensive Palco seats for 80 pesos. They were widely available via Ticketek ranging from 25 to 80 pesos. They had some problem with the website registration (rejected whatever email I put in as "already registered") so hopped in a cab and went to their office on Tucuman to buy them.

They also had some expensive seats (200 pesos, I think) for Boca, but didn't look too closely.

Great point. As has been reported by another FTer a couple of weeks ago, Ticketek is now offering more tickets to more games. Availability will depend on each game and delivery options are still not the best, but at least the service is developing.

I think there is a good chance that as part of the reforms going on in Argentine Soccer, the larger and most popular clubs will begin to offer more seats via the Internet, although the largest supply will remain to be for the less important games.

This was not really a "stroke of luck" because I now read that the ban has been lifted for away fans after the players threatened to strike.

Ok, saw a good football game. I have to say that there is absolutely no reason to use an agency to visit Independiente (and Racing for that matter). It's an easy cab ride from downtown (12 pesos) and then you follow the crowd to enter the ground. Buying tickets at the ground would not have been too problematic, but getting them in advance from ticketek makes it a lot easier.

If it's not raining and not a big derby my suggestion is to get a ticket up high in platea Bandeja Sande. (only 35 pesos) If you can find a seat in the middle of the ground toward the lower part of this stand (and do not suffer from fear of heights) then you have a great view and avoid watching the game through chicken wire. The whole field is surrounded by chicken wire and also plastic near the dugouts. That's probably the main negative. Otherwise the premium seats in the "Arsenio Erico" stand were excellent. However, the seats that you buy will be low since the higher seats sell first. Platea Baja Visera (lower seats below where I was sitting) are crappy seats with a low view angle through chicken wire.

For this game, which was a derby against a smaller Avellaneda club, the stadium was maybe half full, but that's just a guess. The Arsenal de Sarandi fans had max 1000 people in their end.

What is Avellaneda like otherwise?

-------------------------
If you take a commuter train from Constitucion Station, Avellaneda will be the first stop on most if not all of the lines (maybe 8-10 minutes tops). Racing Club and Independiente appear to be on contiguous parcels of land, as their stadia were closer together than the baseball/football stadia in Baltimore and/or Pittsburgh (which are considered to be one complex).

I did not get off the train at Avellaneda (I took the train to La Plata to attend the horse races there), but made mental notes of what was around the station. The most conspicuous thing there was a large Carrefour store (akin to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the USA) near the station. It did not look dangerous.

My wife and I attended a Boca Juniors match (vs. Almagro, which has since been relegated) where the actual in-stadium attendance was 20,000 or so, even though the game was technically a sell out. It was a fantastic experience. We used a guide service, which was US$40 per person, but, considering my wife was with me, was well worth it to me (and I have bought tickets outside Highbury, Stamford Bridge and the Broomloan Road stand at Ibrox (I am a Celtic supporter) in the UK--the big problem with BA for me is not speaking the language well, although it is a fantastic city overall).

It's quite amazing who close the two grounds are.... maybe 100-200 meters. It really captures the passion for football in this country that two rivals have 50k+ stadia within spitting distance of each other. Compare that to the likes of Inter and Milan who are obviously much richer but play at the same ground.

We walked right past the Racing stadium on the way out to the main boulevard. The Racing stadium looks much nicer and is a large bowl. Independiente's is a dump and is slated for renovation.

Avellaneda is a newish, busy area with a shopping mall and Carrefour. Sort of like the Crystal City/Arlington of Buenos Aires.... ha-ha. There were actually some decent looking private houses on the back streets near the ground.

Hello

I Have A Question For Buy Tickets For The Game :

Independiente - Boca Juniors On February 25


Know Somebody A Office At Buenos Aires Or A Good Side To Buy Cheape Tickets ...also Not Like 50 Or More Dollars -

I Wish To Have For 20 - 30 Pesos.

i wil travell this saturday to Buenos Aires...

hope for help !!

Joe, your best bet is Ticketek, although it seems they are not selling anything currently. I suggest you check back often and see if something comes up:

www.ticketek.com.ar

Joe, your best bet is Ticketek, although it seems they are not selling anything currently. I suggest you check back often and see if something comes up:

www.ticketek.com.ar

Yes, Indepediente sells via Ticketek, and imagine a lot of demand for this game. My experience was that they only go on sale during the week in advance. Also, there was a problem with their website and I had to go down physically to their office on Tucuman to buy the tickets.

The most expensive ticket was 60 pesos for Palco Arsenio Erico. However, I think their home ground is now closed for renovation. ??? Regardless, just buy the most expensive ticket avalaibable...... truly a bargain compared to football in Europe these days.

THANKS!

must i regsiter thete my self or can i buy this there with VISA Card ?

and the will send the Tickets at home or how will go this way ?

No, you are supposed to physically pick up the tickets at the office after buying them online. I think they have several locations around BA but downtown it's on Tucuman.

You are supposed to be able to register and pay via Visa online, even as a foreigner, but there was some glitch and I just went down there. There was a dumb bimbo at the desk who was filing her nails and said it was not possible, you need to buy it online. But I insisted on speaking to a manager who came out and was very helpful......

Thank

I Heard Today From A Another Ticket Shop Like :

Ticket Plus .....but I Can't Find The Page!

Know Somebody The Homepage Adress ??

Joe, I cant seem to find Ticket Plus on the Internet... I will keep digging and see what I can come up with.

http://www.ticketek.com.ar/show.asp?code=CAIAFA

It says that you can sign up for email notification when tickets become available. I suspect your friend confused the name of the service.

As to your privately sent question about fan issues, etc. I arrived 20 minutes before the game via taxi and was in my seat 5 min later. No problem at all. For Boca then maybe allow a little bit more time.

They made home fans wait for 10 minutes before opening the gates, allowing the away fans to escape. In the expensive seats it's very peaceful, no worries.

Note that Independiente will be playing its home games at Racing's stadium, which is about 200 m away from the "Double Eyeshade".

Here's the ticket info for the opening game, mostly about where season ticket holders from will be seated at Racing's ground. I suspect tickets might be more expensive vs. Boca. (?)

PLATEAS
Media techada (Sectores A-B)
Socios $ 30 / Invitados $ 50

Alta techada (Sectores C-D)
Socios $ 15 / Invitados $ 30

Alta visitante (Sector G)
Invitados $ 40

TRIBUNAS
General c/adicional (social) $ 20
General visitante (Colón) $ 14
Dama – Jubilado – visitante $ 7
Dama – Jubilado c/adicional $ 13
Menores (hasta 11 años) $ 4

LA PARCIALIDAD DE INDEPENDIENTE INGRESA:

* DESDE PUENTE AGÜERO, ALSINA – CORDERO – ITALIA
* DESDE ESTACION AVELLANEDA DIAZ VELEZ – ALSINA – CORDERO – ITALIA
* DESDE AVELLANEDA CENTRO, ITALIA O GRAL. PAZ - COLON

LOS SOCIOS DEL CLUB SE UBICARAN EN LA TRIBUNA LOCAL PUERTAS 10 - 12 o 14

LOS ABONADOS A PALCO ERICO SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR A, SECCION CENTRAL, PUERTAS 5 o 33

LOS ABONADOS A PALCO VISERA SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR A, SECCION CENTRAL, PUERTAS 5 o 33

LOS ABONADOS DE ALTA VISERA SECTORES 2-3-5-6 Y 7, SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR A, PUERTAS 5 o 33

LOS ABONADOS DE BAJA VISERA SECTORES 3-4 Y 5, SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR D, PUERTA 3

LOS ABONADOS DE ALTA CORDERO SECTORES 2-3-4-5-6 Y 7, SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR B, PUERTA 17

LOS ABONADOS DE PALCOS CORDERO, SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR B, PUERTA 17

LOS ABONADOS DE BANDEJA SANDE (CORDERO), SE UBICARAN EN LA PLATEA SECTOR C, PUERTA 18

LOS ABONADOS A ESTACIONAMIENTO INGRESAN DESDE PUENTE AGÜERO POR CALLES ALSINA – CORDERO e ITALIA, DONDE ACCEDERAN AL ESTACIONAMIENTO DE RACING CLUB

THANK FOR YOUR WORK !!


NOW I HAVE HERE A ANOTHER WAY TOO:

I WANT ASK YOU: WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THIS PERSON ..OR DO YOU KNOW IT

i COULD HAVE FOR 180 PESOS:

1.)TRANSFER PUEYRREDON/STADIUM/PUEYRREDON APARTMENT
2.)SEATS NUMBERED IN PLATEA
3.)GUIDE DURING ALL THE TOUR.

He's infos are:

EL EQUIPO DE BAIRES FUN
TELEFONO DESDE EL EXTERIOR 54-9-11-5-335-0746
TELEFONO DESDE BUENOS AIRES 155-886-7534
MSN ONLINE: bairesfun2@hotmail.com
SKYPEONLINE:BAIRES FUN TURISMO
WEB SITE: www.bairesfun.com
Buenos Aires, Argentina


i hope to hear from your soon - i will fly to Argentina in 7 hours ;-)

but first i will watch Independiente - Colon over Satellite -

These "tours" are useful if the game is sold out but otherwise you are paying 3-4 times the ticket price. Since a cab ride is only 10 pesos to Avellaneda then there is not much added value.


THANK FOR YOUR WORK !!


NOW I HAVE HERE A ANOTHER WAY TOO:

I WANT ASK YOU: WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THIS PERSON ..OR DO YOU KNOW IT

i COULD HAVE FOR 180 PESOS:

1.)TRANSFER PUEYRREDON/STADIUM/PUEYRREDON APARTMENT
2.)SEATS NUMBERED IN PLATEA
3.)GUIDE DURING ALL THE TOUR.

He's infos are:

EL EQUIPO DE BAIRES FUN
TELEFONO DESDE EL EXTERIOR 54-9-11-5-335-0746
TELEFONO DESDE BUENOS AIRES 155-886-7534
MSN ONLINE: bairesfun2@hotmail.com
SKYPEONLINE:BAIRES FUN TURISMO
WEB SITE: www.bairesfun.com
Buenos Aires, Argentina


i hope to hear from your soon - i will fly to Argentina in 7 hours ;-)

but first i will watch Independiente - Colon over Satellite -

Nobody have heard from this Adress ?

EL EQUIPO DE BAIRES FUN
TELEFONO DESDE EL EXTERIOR 54-9-11-5-335-0746
TELEFONO DESDE BUENOS AIRES 155-886-7534
MSN ONLINE: bairesfun2@hotmail.com
SKYPEONLINE:BAIRES FUN TURISMO
WEB SITE: www.bairesfun.com
Buenos Aires, Argentina


its that good ? can we trust ?

Never heard of them.... but if someone gets around to using them, please be so kind as to report back.

Went to see Boca vs Independiente today and what a game it was. Concierge at the hotel arranged for us to be picked up, taken to the game, escorted to our seats and droped back for 50 Dollars.

Was rooting for Boca but was sitting in the Independiente stand which was fun. I now know how to say some very rude things in Spanish!

Glad you enjoyed the game... and a great game it was.

Congratulations on your first crash course in Spanish swearing... the football stadium is the best place to learn these... ^ I assume you now have enough ammo to remind folks about their mothers, sisters and other female members of their families... :eek: :D

I assume you now have enough ammo to remind folks about their mothers, sisters and other female members of their families... :eek: :D

Your spot on Gaucho100K. They all seem to be directed to the female sex. Would share some of my new vocabulary but fear I may be banned.:)

Well, I enjoyed San Lorenzo taking Boca to the cleaners on Sunday...... Glad to see Arsenal de Sarandi on top of the league! I hope to catch a home game there some time this year.

Gaucho, what kind of neighborhood is Sarandi?

Sorry, but USD 50 is a freaking ripoff for 30 peso (?) tickets or whatever they go for in the away section. I actually think that encouraging this type of scalping is unfortunate and shows disrespect for the local football fans, but it's a free market........

Arsenal´s stadium is not in the best of places.... but its also not a death trap. If you use common sense and keep your eyes open, you should be OK. What is your plan, to go at it alone or will you make some sort of arrangement regarding logistics?

Arsenal´s stadium is not in the best of places.... but its also not a death trap. If you use common sense and keep your eyes open, you should be OK. What is your plan, to go at it alone or will you make some sort of arrangement regarding logistics?

If you mean, hop a cab an hour before kickoff, yes, probably. But it would be nice to get tickets in advance. With this small club I gather it means dropping by the box office during business hours?

Never bought tickets from one of these small clubs before.... so Im afraid I cant help you further. Is Arsenal on the internet...? maybe their site has more information?

Sorry I cant help you further.

Does anyone know if it is too late (or too early with the way tickets are sold here) to buy tickets to the Boca Jrs v River Plate game thats April 15th at La Bombonera?

I really need to get three tickets.

I bought tickets to a River game once at the stadium the day before the game, but I dont know if I can do that for this game becuase its so high profile.

For a Boca River game, I think that the best (and probably only option) will be to use a tour or otherwise organized service. Its very hard for locals to get these tickets, as they go very fast.... so unless you are willing to go to the scalpers, Im guessing you will have to opt for the tour service.

Thank you Gaucho100k, gnaget, and everyone else who has contributed to this thread.

I seek your wisdom in the hope of attending a football game in BA this November.

According to the argentinesoccer.com website the Arsenal team plays their home games in Lanus stadium.

http://www.argentinesoccer.com/team.cfm?team=ars

Is this true ? Is this a temporary move while the Arsenal stadium is renovated ? And if both Arsenal and Lanus play home games on the same day how will this work ?

Also any information on Lanus stadium ( getting there, the neighbourhood, etc.) is greatly appreciated.

I am asking because I would like to attend the Arsenal / Boca game on November 25th.

Im afraid I wont be of much help, as Ive never been to Arsenal stadium. Im also not familiar with the area in question. Are you going to use one of these services that will pick you up and take you there or will you be doing this on your own?

Hi,

I have a similar question. We are planning to be in BA in November (so looking forward to it).
11/25 is my birthday and I would like to go to either
River -Colon or Racing - Independente games.

For those who have been to the games with these teams or these stadiums which game do you recommend?

The best stadium in Argentina (River) vs the major rivalry (Racing vs Independente).

I am assuming both stadiums are pretty safe comparing to Boca (Bombonera).


Thank you very much in advance,

Thank you Gaucho100k, gnaget, and everyone else who has contributed to this thread.

I seek your wisdom in the hope of attending a football game in BA this November.

According to the argentinesoccer.com website the Arsenal team plays their home games in Lanus stadium.

http://www.argentinesoccer.com/team.cfm?team=ars

Is this true ? Is this a temporary move while the Arsenal stadium is renovated ? And if both Arsenal and Lanus play home games on the same day how will this work ?

Also any information on Lanus stadium ( getting there, the neighbourhood, etc.) is greatly appreciated.

I am asking because I would like to attend the Arsenal / Boca game on November 25th.

That website looks suspicious. Arsenal played at home (Estadio Julio H. Grondona) against Colon and two days ago against San Lorenzo in the Copa Sudamericana. There is no reason that they would close it because it was constructed/ renovated in 2004. Arsenal is a tiny neighborhood club that has become a top flight team. Sort of like the Wimbledon or Watford (in the 80s) of BA.

http://www.sanlorenzo.com.ar/sudamericana2007_ficha.php

It's a small stadium, holding 16 or 18 thousand depending on the source. I have no idea if Boca fans will snap up the tickets. Your only option is probably to buy tickets at the box office.

http://www.celesteyrojo.com.ar/

Soccernet.com is reporting attendance for games so keep an eye on what happens when Arsenal play at home to other big BA clubs (Velez, River and San Lorenzo). The cup game against San Lorenzo appeared to be well attended from the video.

Arsenal has very little support. Only 2000 spectators against Colon.

I would take a cab to any stadium in BA.

----------
I would go to Racing vs. Independiente. That's a fantastic derby if you can get tickets.

I have not been to River's ground but it does have a running track, which I hate. It's the largest but hardly the best ground to watch football in BA.

Racing has an impressive bowl-like ground without a running track that holds 50 odd thousand.

The best stadium in Argentina (River) vs the major rivalry (Racing vs Independente).

I am assuming both stadiums are pretty safe comparing to Boca (Bombonera).


The Bombonera is very safe, no need to worry.

I was looking at the fixture list for the weekend and noticed that banfield was playing at home saturday night. Has anyone been to their ground? I thought it would be kind of interesting going to one of the smaller team's grounds although I know they arent so small anymore since they've qualified for south american competitions.
cheers!
howie

Go for it! Banfield is a ...... team, but it's steeped in tradition. They finished bottom of the league in both tournaments last season. Not sure how they qualify for any South American cups!

The guy who cut my hair at Gallerias Pacifico told me that he supported Banfield. It's a well supported team in south BA.

I think it's a relatively nice town (Lomas de Zamora).......

Sadly my plans to seen Banfield tonight were scuttled due to my flight being canceled out of lga last night! I'm still excited to see Boca on sunday though!
cheers
howie

Sadly my plans to seen Banfield tonight were scuttled due to my flight being canceled out of lga last night! I'm still excited to see Boca on sunday though!
cheers
howie

Good choice of game... Im a River Plate supporter but the Boca game is a great choice... ^

Im thinking about going to a racing match before I leave how is their ground? Any particular section anyone would suggest (Between the 75 and 55 peso tickets)
cheers
howie

It's a classic bowl with 50k capacity. I have only seen games on TV and walked past the outside on the way to Independiente's ground, which is 100 meters away and being refurbished. Let us know if you notice any construction going on.

I would just buy the most expensive tickets possible. It's a pittance for a foreigner.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Juan_Domingo_Per%C3%B3n

I would try to get the seats in the 7000 spectator mezannine, but they might be hard to get. Although I had no problem getting the most expensive section at Independiente. Otherwise unless you go for the standing room then you are going to be on the upper band.

Original capacity was 64,000

It's a classic bowl with 50k capacity. I have only seen games on TV and walked past the outside on the way to Independiente's ground, which is 100 meters away and being refurbished. Let us know if you notice any construction going on.

I would just buy the most expensive tickets possible. It's a pittance for a foreigner.

It wasnt a price issue just after going to quite a few english football grounds the highest price tickets arent always the best seats!
cheers
howie

Howie-- you are 200% correct... congratulations on your observation, its clear you "know your s_h_i_t" about going to stadiums. At River Plate Stadium, the most expensive seats are the San Martin Baja tickets, but the Belgrano Alta makes for much better viewing.

The best seats are not only defined by location in terms of how high up you are, or facing which sector of the playing field. Things like where the sun will be at different times of the game, where the home or visiting crowd will be seated, etc. are all issues that have to be considered.

i must be doing something wrong or the tickets are not there.

I am trying to buy tickets to the Racing game in November on ticketek.ar ( I have the right website). I registered on the ticketek website but for the life of me, I could not figure out how to navigate to the Racing game in November.

Is it too early to buy 5 tickets for this game? It is one of the classicos (vs Independiente) and I don't want to pay $60 (200 pesos) per ticket vs 50 pesos if I go directly through ticketek.
Are there any other options to buy the futbol ticket (besides ticketek) without buying a relativly expensive package?

Can ticketek be any friendlier? Maybe my Spanish is not good enough to navigate the website?

Thank you for your advice in advance,

Hi there,

Not sure if anyone will still be on this forum by I'm going to be in BA for the Boca v River Plate game on May 4th.
Ive been quoted $230 by one company and $200 by another. Am I being ripped off here. Where is best to get tickets?

Thanks for your help.

Hi there,

My wife and I are coming to BA for part of our Honeymoon and it is one of my lifetime ambitions to see the Boca v River derby.

I have enquired with 2 companies and have been quoted $200 and $230 per ticket for the guide, taxi and ticket package for tickets on the side.

I think this is too much but am I right? Where is the best place to get tickets? I'm happy to go through a guide if I have to but this still seems expensive.....

Any help would be great.

Many Thanks!

I would love to help you, but its hard for me to comment unless you give me full details. What sort of tickets are you being offered?

If the tickets are some of the best in the stadium, e.g. San Martin Baja or equivalent at the Bombonera, then you are being quoted a fair price. Please note that River vs. Boca tickets are in huge demand, so there is basically zero chance you will be able to score decent tickets on your own.

Hi there,

I've been quoted about $200-$230 for the Platea Alta and $300 for the Platea Media.
That is all I have been told. If you think I should ask them to be more specific then let me know and I will ask more details.

Thanks for your advice on this. Much appreciated.

Hi there,

My wife and I are coming to BA for part of our Honeymoon and it is one of my lifetime ambitions to see the Boca v River derby.

I have enquired with 2 companies and have been quoted $200 and $230 per ticket for the guide, taxi and ticket package for tickets on the side.

I think this is too much but am I right? Where is the best place to get tickets? I'm happy to go through a guide if I have to but this still seems expensive.....

Any help would be great.

Many Thanks!

I had my concierge (at the Park Hyatt) arrange the ticket and bus package for me. This was easier and was well-worth the extra money. I would prefer this to arranging things on my own with a vendor. Everything was flawless. Just remember the Boca and River fans have to leave via separate doors, 15 minutes apart!

Hi there,

I've been quoted about $200-$230 for the Platea Alta and $300 for the Platea Media.
That is all I have been told. If you think I should ask them to be more specific then let me know and I will ask more details.

Thanks for your advice on this. Much appreciated.

Well... thats a start in terms of information, but its not enough. You need to press them further... ask them to be specific about which Platea Baja and which Platea Media they are offering. Is it the Platea San Martin, is it the Platea Belgrano, or the Platea Centenario, etc..???

To further help you, here is a detailed mapping of the Stadium:

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/tpl.php?cat=es&url=entradas.php

I think using this link will get you a larger image (easier to read) of the stadium seating:

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/tpl.php?cat=es&url=entradas.php#

How can i get tickets for the game in the net?

thanks

How can i get tickets for the game in the net?


Leandro, sorry to burst your bubble... but there is no way to buy tickets to this game on the Internet. Your only chance is to book a full service tour package that will offer you tickets and transportation to and from the game. And, please note this will not be inexpensive.... tickets to this game are always sold out and are in very high demand.

Hello, just have a couple of general questions about football tickets in Argentina, particularly in BA.

1. For matches in which the big 5 are not playing each other, is it generally possible to buy tickets for the populares a few hours before the match?

2. How possible is it to buy tickets a few hours before the match to get into the visiting team's popular, or are these tickets only sold by the visiting club to registered supporters? I'm particularly interested in getting tickets into Rosario Central's end when they visit Argentinos in late November, but I don't know how to go about it.

3. Do any stadiums have club shops located in/near them?

Cheers.

While I dont have any first hand experience with smaller teams, you should be able to buy tickets either at the Stadium or at the home clubs offices a few days before the game. Not sure as to the few hours before the game, as tickets on the same day of the game may not be sold because of organizational issues....

Are you staying at a full service hotel? If so, I would have your Concierge look into this. Club shops are very common for the biggest teams, not saying the smaller clubs dont have them but mostly their merchandise will be sold by street vendors. I suggest looking up the club of your choice on the Internet and see if they have some more information on this.

Hello, just have a couple of general questions about football tickets in Argentina, particularly in BA.

1. For matches in which the big 5 are not playing each other, is it generally possible to buy tickets for the populares a few hours before the match?

2. How possible is it to buy tickets a few hours before the match to get into the visiting team's popular, or are these tickets only sold by the visiting club to registered supporters? I'm particularly interested in getting tickets into Rosario Central's end when they visit Argentinos in late November, but I don't know how to go about it.

3. Do any stadiums have club shops located in/near them?

Cheers.

Why, do you have a death wish? :) I would guess that you could buy it before the game. If not then you'll have to make do with a home ticket and I am sure that you will get a ticket before such a match up. I think it will be critical that you speak Spanish to get into the away supporter end.

Indepediente certainly did not have anything that resembled a club shop. Their stadium was a rubble heap and is being reconstructed.

Joking aside... the quest for tickets to 'smaller' games is no death wish.... it may however be a challenge to the visitor that does not know his way around town. Hence my suggestion to have a professional concierge take care of things..... a full service hotel will have the means to find out when what games are played, where tickets will be sold, and send a messenger to buy them. If this is taken care of, I would suggest having a remise service take you to the game and then collect you after its over.... remember if you will be on the home team side you need to wait about 45 minutes after the game ends to exit, if on the visitors side you can leave right after the game.

I think a concierge is not going to be helpful unless it involves a package tour to one of the big games.

"Death wish" concerned getting into the away end.....

I did a similar thing in 1990 when I got hold of tickets for the New Years' Day Edinburgh derby at the away end (Hibs) at Tynecastle. The locals I was visiting did not want come along (New Years day was part of it) but primarily thought that I was mad to risk life and limb, especially in the away end. The police stormed the crowd twice and beat up some guys who were not doing much of anything.......

I had no problem getting a cab after the Independiente game but this is quite a nice neighborhood in Avellaneda. They also only locked in the home crowd for 5-10 minutes; I think it depends on how many away supporters the team has at the game.

I think Argentinos Juniors plays in a pretty rough part of town?

I think a concierge is not going to be helpful unless it involves a package tour to one of the big games.

"Death wish" concerned getting into the away end.....

I did a similar thing in 1990 when I got hold of tickets for the New Years' Day Edinburgh derby at the away end (Hibs) at Tynecastle. The locals I was visiting did not want come along (New Years day was part of it) but primarily thought that I was mad to risk life and limb, especially in the away end. The police stormed the crowd twice and beat up some guys who were not doing much of anything.......

I had no problem getting a cab after the Independiente game but this is quite a nice neighborhood in Avellaneda. They also only locked in the home crowd for 5-10 minutes; I think it depends on how many away supporters the team has at the game.

I think Argentinos Juniors plays in a pretty rough part of town?

Sorry to digress... but a professional concierge is perfectly able to do this. I will depend on how professional he/she is and of course, what hotel we are talking about.

Argentinos' stadium is not in a very nice part of town, although they are worse places... like San Lorenzo.

Thanks for the quick reply, lads.

To clarify, are you saying that it would probably be possible to buy tickets to the Rosario Central end a few days before the match at the Estadio Maradona? As for having a death wish, in some ways perhaps I do. But the utter lack of singing/standing at English matches these days has left me disenchanted, and I think a good bit of grit, sweat, and fear in the populares will go a long ways to restore my faith in the game. Romantic, I know.

I speak pretty passable Spanish. Certainly enough to communicate which tickets I want. But I assume I should still ask the concierge for assistance.

Hmmm.... well, Im not sure. It may be possible to do this, although the normal outlet for these would be to purchase them in Rosario, though the club offices. I doubt the large ticket service agencies would carry tickets to such a match.

My guess is that your best bet is to call your hotel concierge, explain in detail the situation, tell them you are willing to pay for reasonable expenses involved in purchasing these tickets, and with a bit of luck you should be able to source them.

Sounds like a plan. Thanks much for the advice.

The concierge plan will probably work. Personally I would go to Estadio Maradona a day or two before the match and TRY to purchase a ticket. Especially if your Spanish is good.

Here is a link to a description of the La Paternal barrio from the Argentinos Juniors website; http://www.argentinosjuniors.com.ar/secciones/paternal/paternal.php
It appears to be near the Chacarita cemetary so you could include that in your trip if you plan to do some sightseeing.

And if you REALLY want to sit in the visitor's stands, why not make a day trip to Rosario and purchase the tickets there ?

Let us know how it works out for you, as I may be wanting to do something similar later this year.

Please note the Cementary that folks usually visit is the one in Recoleta, not the one in Chacarita.

I have been looking at the results this week of the first legs of the Round of 16 in the Copa Sudamericana. I've also looked at the draw and who plays first legs at home in the next round, the quarterfinals.

If I were to bet, I would predict that River will play Atletico Paranaense in the next round with River hosting the first leg. The games are scheduled for October 22 and 23.

I will be in BA that week and,if my predictions come true, would love to go and see the game.

Can those of you who know the BA football scene tell me if these games attract large crowds and if a ticket to a River home game against the Brazilian team would be difficult to buy on the day of the game? Or should I try to make arrangements in advance?

The quarter final line-up will be known definitely on Oct 2. But I arrive in BA Oct 21. I leave on Oct 25 so seeing a weekend domestic game is not an option. I'd appreciate BMs advice.

From having seen games on TV crowds are quite sparse for these early round SA cup games, especially in this lesser tournament. Further, River has a massive stadium. I would not worry and get the ticket at the stadium.

I agree getting tickets to the above preliminary match should not be very hard. I suggest checking out the River Plate website for details of when and where tickets will be available.

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/

I see the long range forecast for next Wednesday is for showers. Am I correct in thinking there are no covered seats at El Monumental or are there covered seats under one of the tiers?

Would appreciate clarification from those who know the stadium.:)

There are some covered seats..... although they are not exactly the best seats in the house. I would say try to get good seats and take an umbrella.... :D

Almost all middle tier seats are covered, and they're actually good seats if in the San Martin or Belgrano stands.

Gaucho, what happened?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/20/boca-juniors-river-plate-football-argentina

Gaucho, what happened?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/20/boca-juniors-river-plate-football-argentina

@##XXX&$##%#$%Z)(($)$#@@XXX@@ !!!!!!!!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: