Hongkongers will be able to purchase tickets for four National Games events hosted in the city, with sales kicking off later this month under a real-name registration system to combat scalping, organisers have said.
Rugby sevens, beach volleyball, men’s handball, and men’s under-22 basketball are the four events hosted in Hong Kong, for which tickets will be available from August 28.
The first phase will offer tickets for 17 events in total, organisers said at a joint press conference held in Guangzhou on Wednesday.
Hong Kong will co-host the National Games for the first time in November, alongside Guangdong and Macau.
Hong Kong will host a total of eight National Games events and three Paralympic events. Select events will be held at the city’s flagship Kai Tak Sports Park.
Tickets for the other four events in Hong Kong will be made available in phases in late September and early October.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Yeung Tak-keung, head of the National Games Coordination Office in Hong Kong, said that ticket prices were designed to be affordable, ranging from 50 to 200 yuan for golf, triathlon, and beach volleyball.
Ticket prices for stadium events – handball, basketball, rugby, track cycling, and fencing – will be priced between 50 and 500 yuan.
Real-name registration
Hongkongers need to register for an account to be able to purchase tickets starting in late August.
The real-name registration system is implemented to combat scalping; however, it will be possible to transfer tickets, according to organisers.
However, the procedures must be completed 24 hours before the event, Yeung also told reporters at the Wednesday press conference.
Separately, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law encouraged people to register for an account as soon as possible.
Law said she was confident that the real-name ticketing arrangement would effectively combat scalpers, adding that the organisers would keep a close eye on ticketing transfers.
Hongkongers must use their Hong Kong identity card when purchasing tickets for events staged in Hong Kong and Macau, or their mainland travel permit for events in Guangdong.
Tickets will also be available from China Travel Service (CTS) at 11 designated locations citywide.
Residents who buy tickets from CTS will not need to register for an account in advance, but they will still have to register their name using their HKID card or mainland travel permit.
