China football fans set to flock to Saudi Arabia to support under-23 team in Asian Cup final
The Chinese consulate-general in Jeddah quickly shut down online rumours that Chinese passport holders could attend the final for free
A large number of Chinese football fans are expected to head to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this Saturday to support China’s under-23 team in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup final, following the team’s historic run at the tournament.
China beat Vietnam 3-0 in Tuesday’s semi-final to reach the final for the first time, where they will face Japan.
With many supporters choosing to travel to Saudi Arabia to watch the young team in person, on Chinese social media platform RedNote, fans have been posting photos of their tickets and planning the trip with friends.
The surge in demand, however, has pushed up the price of flight tickets, with some fans complaining that a Beijing to Jeddah return flight that cost about 2,300 yuan (roughly US$330) on Wednesday morning had climbed to more than 7,000 yuan by early evening, nearly triple the original price.
At the same time, rumours spread online that Chinese passport holders could attend the final for free as a gesture of goodwill from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the Asian Football Confederation to Chinese fans.
The Chinese consulate-general in Jeddah on Wednesday refuted the claim as misinformation, explaining that “only a limited number of complimentary tickets had been distributed earlier via local Chinese community groups, Chinese companies and student organisations”.