Skopje Super Cup Tickets Hit Black Market

The Macedonian authorities are warning fans not to buy the UEFA Super Cup tickets offered on the internet as even a hefty price of over 1,000 euros does not guarantee that they will be allowed in to watch the final between Real Madrid and Manchester United on August 8.

UEFA and the Macedonian Football Federation say the lottery through which most fans got their tickets at prices ranging from 15 to 50 euros is over, and that these tickets cannot be resold.

"Some of the tickets which arrived at home addresses are personalized so only the ticket winners and those who have been put on the list may watch the match," said the spokesperson for the Macedonian Football Federation, Zlatko Andonovski.

Meanwhile Macedonia, on advice from UEFA, has increased penalties for ticket resellers and forgers.

If caught illegally offering, advertising or selling tickets, offenders face penalties that range from fines to one year in jail.

The law envisages up to three years in jail for organisers of networks of resellers on the black market.

However, on some internet sites, resellers are still advertising tickets which can be bought for prices ranging from 300 to 1,350 euros.

Some are offering sets of two or four tickets which sell for 600 or 1,200 euros.

Macedonia's first UEFA club competition final will take place at Skopje's Filip II Arena, whose capacity exceeds 33,000.

The clash will pit Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo against his former club Manchester United, while Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho will also face his former Spanish side.

More than 10,000 football fans from all across the world are expected to visit the Macedonian capital for the event which also some some hotel prices rise...