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<\/p>\nJust over 1,000 lucky fans will get tickets for Ireland\u2019s World Cup play-off against Czechia in Prague.<\/p>\n
Ireland fans celebrate in Budapest(Image: INPHO\/Ryan Byrne)<\/p>\n
Ireland fans have been warned to act quickly and get their applications for Czechia tickets in ahead of a looming deadline.<\/p>\n
Boys in Green<\/a> supporters have until 10am on Tuesday to apply for the small number of tickets that the Czech<\/a> FA have made available for the away end.<\/p>\n Under UEFA<\/a> requirements, they are obliged to hand over just five percent of the stadium capacity to visiting supporters.<\/p>\n That means just 1,024 tickets have been handed over to the FAI<\/a> – which is way below the numbers that have already applied.<\/p>\n More than 3,000 fans travelled to Budapest last November to see Heimir Hallgr\u00edmsson\u2019s<\/a> side book their play-off spot in the most dramatic fashion, when Troy Parrott<\/a> completed his hat-trick with a winner deep into injury-time.<\/p>\n More than 4,000 applications for the Prague game are expected – and in a post on social media, the FAI\u2019s supporters\u2019 liaison officer warned that late applications would not be accepted.<\/p>\n \u201cReminder applications close on Tuesday at 10am for Czechia away. No advantage in waiting. Please apply ASAP. Late applications will not be accepted,\u201d read the post.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Czech authorities have moved to stop Ireland fans from accessing tickets to the home sections of the Fortuna Arena.<\/p>\n They have reported on the Czech FA website that they have been inundated with requests from Irish fans.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter twenty years, we once again have a unique chance to get Czech football to the World Cup,\u201d said Czech FA chairman David Trunda.<\/p>\n \u201cThe draw has awarded us two home matches and our goal is to create an environment in which the national team will be able to rely on maximum support from the fans.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement on the website added that since the play-off draw in November, the Czech FA \u201chas registered an enormous interest from Irish fans in getting to the semi-final match of the play-off for a place in the World Cup at any cost.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven that the main priorities include the safety of all spectators in the stadium, protection against the black market and an effort to make the best use of the potential of the home environment, the Football Association has adjusted its original sales strategy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe aim is to offer fans of the Czech national football team priority rights to purchase tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n Home fans can purchase tickets through a loyalty programme, where they must enter an ID number – either from a state ID card or a passport.<\/p>\n This will be checked against a government system.<\/p>\n \u201cThe implementation of this service into the internal system took longer than originally estimated,\u201d added the statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThese measures were necessary to ensure that fans could enjoy the greatest possible football experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Tickets will be priced from \u20ac20 (500CZK) to \u20ac68 (1,650CZK) – the same prices as their last World Cup play-off success against Norway 20 years ago.<\/p>\n