Rio 2016 Paralympic ticket sales exceed 1.8 million

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games have now sold more than 1.8 million tickets, overtaking Beijing 2008 as the second biggest Games ever in terms of ticket sales.

On the first day of competition on Thursday (8 September) 105,000 people attended venues on the Barra Olympic Park, while a further 66,000 tickets were sold for upcoming days of competition.

Today, 144,000 tickets have been sold for the Barra Olympic Park and the second evening of track and field at the Olympic Stadium is sold out. With Saturday evening’s session also sold out in athletics, the IPC are working with the Organising Committee to increase capacity in the venue. Earlier this month, the venue capacity was reduced as a result of cuts to Rio 2016’s service levels.

History will be made on Saturday when a record 167,000 attend competition at the Barra Olympic Park, the most ever across one day of competition at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games in Rio.

Craig Spence, the IPC’s Director of Media and Communications, said: “Rio 2016 is quickly living up to its billing as the people’s Games. The Barra Olympic Park was a hive of activity on Thursday and supporters of all ages were not disappointed as world records fell in multiple sports.

“With Friday night promising some outstanding competition in athletics, the sell-out crowd will certainly be in for some superb Paralympic sport. These Games have quickly gathered momentum and it is fantastic to hear the noise level the Cariocas are creating in each venue.”