This year’s World Cup in Qatar has sold 1.8 million tickets so far.

Qatar residents have purchased the most tickets, with Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the UAE, and the U.S. following. With all 32 teams now confirmed for the tournament, the next phase of tickets for the November event go on sale Tuesday. 

FIFA plans to offer a total of 3 million tickets over all buying rounds but has received more than 23 million requests. Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million fans.

Fans interested in attending have a few ticket options, with prices ranging from roughly $69 for a Category 3 group-stage match and north of $1,600 for a final ticket.

• Tickets for individual matches are available across four price categories, with Category 4 tickets reserved for Qatar residents.
• Fans can purchase up to six tickets per match, but no more than 60 over the course of the tournament.
• In line with match compatibility rules, attendees may have opportunities to attend more than one group game on the same day toward the beginning of the tournament.

Payment Process

The purchase period will be open until Aug. 16 but will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. FIFA says a queue management system will apply if there is high demand.

There will also be a third, “last-minute” sales phase.

A minority investor in AC Milan is attempting to block the sale of the Italian soccer club to New York-based private investment firm RedBird Capital Partners, according to Bloomberg. 

Blue Skye Financial Partners claims American investment firm Elliott Management held talks “behind closed doors” about the deal, which valued AC Milan at $1.3 billion. Milan has been under Elliot’s ownership since 2018. 

To date, the firm has poured as much as $838 million into the club.

In May, RedBird, which has $6 billion in assets under management, agreed to purchase Milan from Elliott.

The sale is now under fire because Blue Skye’s claims are a breach of minority rights.

• Blue Skye has asked a U.S. court for documents regarding the deal.
• This comes before imminent legal action to annul the sale or receive damages.
• Blue Skype hopes to prove Elliot “operated with malice or deceit.” 

Despite the controversy, Milan has found success on and off the pitch.

The club won its 19th Serie A title in the 2021-222 season and has generated $257 million in revenue in 2022, up from $165 million in 2021.

Doubled Down

No matter who ends up with a majority stake, the club will maintain its famous red-and-black look. On Wednesday, Milan extended its kit sponsorship deal with sportswear brand Puma.

Germany-based Puma will reportedly pay $31.5 million per year under a five-year contract.

A major transaction is bringing Cristiano Ronaldo onto the same team as Kyler Murray — and Tom Hanks.

Creative Artists Agency acquired ICM Partners, completing a seismic shift in the agency landscape.

• The $750 million deal values the combined agency at $5 billion.
• The deal was initially agreed to in September but was held up by investigations from the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission.
• The combined company boasts more than 3,200 employees, but 105 of ICM’s 425 staffers will reportedly be let go.

With the closing of the deal, the “big four” U.S. agencies became the “big three,” alongside Endeavor-owned WME and United Talent Agency.

All three have been on an expansion path, with Endeavor acquiring sports betting company OpenBet and nine minor league baseball teams in the last year. 

Super Team

CAA represents more than 2,000 athletes including Ronaldo, Aaron Rodgers, Shohei Ohtani, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade.

ICM acquired NFL-focused agency Select Sports Group in July 2021, bringing in Kyler Murray, Andy Dalton, and Colin Kaepernick, among others. ICM Stellar Sports, which represents soccer talent including Jack Grealish, Eduardo Camavinga, and Yéremy Pino, was formed after ICM purchased Stellar in October 2020.