COLUMBUS, Ohio --
Tickets for the United States against Mexico FIFA World Cup qualifier at Crew Stadium on Feb. 11 sold out 90 minutes after going on sale to the general public today.
The game marks the third-consecutive time that a capacity crowd will pack Crew Stadium for the final-round, home leg between the United States and Mexico. The match in Columbus is the first of five home qualifiers for the United States this year and will be broadcast live on ESPN2, ESPN2HD and Univision, as well as on the airwaves via Futbol de Primera. Fans can also follow along via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.
There is still a way to acquire tickets, however, as the Crew has retained an inventory of prime seats, which will be made available to new Crew Soccer Nation members (season ticket holders) over the next several days (existing CSN members already had a private presale opportunity). Becoming a CSN Gold member or purchasing a Crew Stadium 10th Anniversary 10-Pack will include the opportunity to purchase USA-Mexico tickets while supplies last. Please call 614-447-CREW (2739) for details.
"The demand for USA vs. Mexico tickets has been high, so we're not surprised by how quickly the match sold out," said Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers. "In anticipation of the quick sellout, we made sure to hold several hundred tickets in reserve which will be made available to new Crew Soccer Nation members who purchase prior to February 11".
The match will be the sixth World Cup qualifier hosted by the nine-year-old venue. The U.S. has a 3-0-2 record in qualifying and an unbeaten 4-0-3 all-time record in the stadium. In the first meeting on Feb. 28, 2001 - dubbed the "Guerra Fria ('Cold War')" because the game-time temperature topped out at 29 degrees - goals by Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart paced the U.S. to a 2-0 victory. Four years later on Sept. 3, 2005, goals by Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley earned the United States another 2-0 win and officially booked their place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
The U.S., along with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, is competing in the 10-game round-robin format through Oct. 14, 2009, with the top three teams automatically advancing to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The fourth-place team will compete in a two-game playoff to be held Nov. 14/18 against the fifth-place finisher in South American qualifying.
Located adjacent to the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Crew Stadium is a 20,145-seat facility, with the ability to hold up to 30,000 for concerts, that features a permanent main stage and roof structure. It is home to the MLS Cup-champion Columbus Crew and is a target destination for other marquee sports and entertainment events including U.S. Soccer matches, NFL exhibitions, NCAA soccer and concerts.
