The general public ticket ballot for the 2019 Rugby World Cup opened online Wednesday, following an unprecedented 2.5 million applications for the initial priority ballots.

The application phase for the general public runs from Sept. 19 to Nov. 12, with oversubscribed matches being entered into a ballot system. Applicants will be informed of the result of the ballot via email on Nov. 26.

Tickets across all categories for all 48 matches are still available for the first edition of the tournament to be held in Asia, kicking off in a year's time.

Category A tickets are the most expensive of the four groupings, with the opening match between Japan and Russia held at Ajinomoto Stadium costing 50,000 yen (about $445). Category A tickets for the final held at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium are set at 100,000 yen.

Next January, individual tickets will begin selling on a first-come, first-served basis.


(Rugby World Cup 2019 mascots Ren and G)

"Demand for Rugby World Cup 2019 tickets has been incredibly strong with more than 70 percent of the available inventory sold during the initial sales ballots that ran until June this year," RWC 2019 organizing committee President and CEO Akira Shimazu said.

"However, with additional tickets now available, there is a great opportunity to secure tickets to all matches and be a part of what will be a wonderful Rugby World Cup tournament and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Japan."

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said it was encouraging to see strong demand for tickets create momentum going to the general public sales period.

"Fans across the world will have the opportunity to get their hands on match tickets across all 48 fixtures in what promises to be a very unique and special Rugby World Cup with a fantastic atmosphere in the 12 stadiums and throughout Japan," Beaumont said.

Those wishing to apply must register for a ticketing account and gain access via the official RWC website.

The Sept. 20-Nov. 2 tournament will see 48 matches played by 20 participating teams across 12 cities stretching from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the southwest.

About 2.5 million applications were received when the priority ballots began in January, far exceeding the 1.8 million available tickets. More than one-third of the tickets have been sold so far, according to the organizing committee.

Organizers have estimated that ticket sales will total around 26 billion yen (about $232 million), or roughly half of the tournament's revenue.


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