Ticket prices skyrocket for Portugal game against Croatia in Toronto

(Adds 'game' in first paragraph)

By Bhargav Acharya

TORONTO, June 27 : Ticket prices at resale platforms skyrocketed for the World Cup game between Portugal and Croatia in Toronto next week, with the average price for the cheapest ticket crossing $3,000 late on Saturday, data from price-tracking website Ticketdata showed.

Portugal were held to a draw against Colombia in Miami, which meant Cristiano Ronaldo's side finished second in Group K.

Croatia finished second in Group L after they defeated Ghana in their last group game.

Portugal will now face Croatia at Toronto Stadium in the round of 32 on July 2 in a match pitting Ronaldo against his old teammate at Real Madrid, Luka Modric.

The average price for the cheapest ticket stood at $3,225 on secondary resale websites as of 11 p.m. ET (0300 GMT), according to Ticketdata, the highest for any round-of-32 game.

Ticketdata gathers data from resale platforms including StubHub and Vivid, according to its website.

The price had more than doubled from before kickoff in the game between Portugal and Colombia, highlighting the dynamic pricing system adopted by tournament organiser FIFA this year.

The system lets prices move with demand — a regular practice at U.S. concerts and sporting events — and had pushed group-stage game resale tickets above $1,000.

An earlier Reuters analysis showed the prices for tickets and accommodation alike have pushed the world's biggest sporting spectacle this year further than ever into the hands of those with higher incomes, signalling a reshaping of the profile of World Cup ticket holders.

FIFA has urged fans to use only its own official resale platform, saying its resale and exchange marketplace is the only platform through which it can guarantee proper