With 437 days to go until Rugby World Cup 2019 kicks off in Japan, demand for tickets following the recently completed Supporters’ Club/Front Row priority sales phase has been remarkable.

Phenomenal interest from rugby fans both in Japan, and abroad has seen more than 2.5 million ticket applications to date since priority applications began in January 2018. With tournament organisers Japan Rugby 2019 targeting a total of 1.8 million ticket sales, demand across the tournament, particularly among the top-ranked teams pool matches and finals series, has been exceptionally strong.

“The response from both Japanese and international rugby fans has been truly amazing. We’ve seen incredible interest in matches featuring the host nation Japan, top-tier nations New Zealand, Ireland, Australia and England, as well as tremendous demand right across the knockout stages.” commented Akira Shimazu, Japan Rugby 2019 organising committee President and CEO.

“However, my message to those fans who have not yet been successful is to apply again in September 2018 when the next ballot phase opens. There are still plenty of great tickets available and we want to ensure that we welcome as many fans as possible to this once-in-a-lifetime tournament.”

Rugby World Cup 2019 will be the first time the tournament will be held in Asia and the first to be hosted outside of the traditional rugby powerhouse nations.

Every four years rugby fans the world over look forward with great anticipation to the staging of Rugby World Cup. Japan, with its unique culture, world-famous hospitality, bustling urban centers and stunning countryside has captured the imagination of rugby fans everywhere.

More than 400,000 foreign visitors are anticipated to travel to Japan for the tournament. This, combined with the huge interest among the Japanese rugby public, has driven the unprecedented demand for tournament tickets.

With 48 matches played across 12 host cities stretching from the northern island of Hokkaido to the southern island of Kyushu, visiting fans will get to experience the amazing regional diversity Japan has to offer while being a part of the world’s premier rugby tournament.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “It is very encouraging to see such strong demand for tickets during the early sales phases. The level of interest creates a great sense of momentum going in to the next ticket sales period beginning on 19 September, when fans will have another opportunity to get their hands on match tickets for what promises to be a unique and special Rugby World Cup with a fantastic atmosphere in the 12 stadiums and throughout Japan.”

The next opportunity to secure tickets begins on 19 September with the opening of the general ticket sales ballot open to the general public. Fans who have been unsuccessful in securing tickets so far are encouraged to keep trying as tickets are still available for all matches and in all categories, across the entire tournament.

To increase chances of securing tickets, fans are encouraged to use the traffic-light indicator on the Rugby World Cup ticketing site that clearly shows the level of ticket demand across every match. By choosing matches that are green or amber, fans have a far greater chance of being part of what is shaping up to be a truly once-in-a-lifetime event.

Rugby World Cup 2019 Worldwide Partner MasterCard is offering fans who apply for tickets using their MasterCard the chance to receive a double entry in the ticketing ballot.

With such exceptional demand for tickets, fans are being urged to buy exclusively from official channels to avoid being let down. For more details visit www.rugbyworldcup.com/buy-official.

© Rugby worldcup.com