Rugby World Cup expected to sell out
PA Sport
July 28, 2015

The World Cup is on track to sell out with England Rugby 2015 chairman Andy Cosslett confident that by the time the tournament kicks off on September 18 every ticket will have been bought. 

An additional 100,000 seats have been made available this week - including for England games and the knockout stages - following adjustments to the configurations for the 13 match venues.

The total number of tickets available has risen to 2.45 million and Cosslett believes they will all be sold.

"We're working hard for there to be no empty seats and we expect to pretty much achieve that," he said. "On the basis of the sales we've seen so far, we expect there to be a full house for every match.

"There may be the odd day of uncertainty as we get closer to the tournament, but I think it'll be a full tournament."

The ninth instalment of the World Cup is shaping up to be the biggest in terms of ticket sales, venues and viewing figures, but Cosslett insists delivering a memorable event would trump size.

"We're trying to make it the best. The biggest tag is nice to have alongside your name, but the most important thing is that it's the best," he said.

"The way we define that is the tournament that delivers the biggest impact for rugby and we'll do that by putting on the best show we've ever seen. Full stadiums are clearly a part of that."

England have been drawn in a fiendishly difficult pool alongside Australia and Wales and will have done well merely by progressing from the group.

Cosslett insists that should the worst-case scenario unfold and Stuart Lancaster's hosts endure an early exit, interest in the World Cup will not perish along with their victory hopes.

"We're not thinking about who gets through, our job is to put on a tournament that can deal with any outcome while delivering a fantastic tournament and celebration of rugby," he said.

© PA Sport

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