Research buying tickets to a Boca Juniors game on the Internet and you’d think the only way to do it is 1) show up an hour or so before hand to buy them on the street and just hope that you aren’t sold fake tickets, 2) buy really expensive tickets with a transfer from your hotel and a guide that explains the game to you, 3) know someone who works for a multinational that has season tickets they aren’t using and get lucky.
We’d been wanting to go to a Boca game at La Bombonera, Boca’s famous stadium, for some time, so when four San Telmo Lofters also wanted to go, we decided it was time to figure it out once and for all. In this video shot at the Boca-Racing match, I’ll tell you how to get tickets at the regular price and show you footage of the game and the amazing fans. The key points are also outlined here below.
Two Options for Advanced Ticket Purchases
There are ways to get tickets in advance, but both options seemed really expensive to us. Still, some people might prefer the security of buying tickets ahead of time and being escorted to and from the stadium.
- Boca Experience – The Boca Juniors website implies that the only way tourists can purchase tickets is through Boca Experience. The prices range from $150 US to $400 US (for River-Boca games). The Boca-Racing game that we attended would have cost us $200 US each if we’d purchased through Boca Experience.
- Football Passion – I found these guys through their Facebook page and contacted them to see what their offers were. They have much better prices than Boca Experience, ranging from 250 – 430 pesos. But we really didn’t want a transfer and guide for the whole game. (*Below a commenter has complained about their service.)
Certain there had to be another way, we asked around and found out how the locals do it.
Climbing to our seats.
How Boca Fans Get Tickets
Ticket to Boca - Racing
Tickets to the game go on sale on the morning of game day. In our case, for a 7:00 PM game, the ticket office opened at 10:00 AM and we were told to get there about an hour early. We only got there 30 minutes early, so the cheapest tickets (those for 90 pesos) were already sold out. Also, each person is only allowed to buy two tickets, so if there are six people total going to the game, three people need to go to the ticket office.
Boca was playing Racing so the tickets weren’t as sought after as those for a Boca-River match. The line to buy tickets was only about 30 minutes long.
Even in defeat, Boca's fans rock on.
Our tickets cost 180 pesos and we were in Platea Media, Sector D (map of stadium seating). These same tickets would have cost 430 pesos with Football Passion. I loved our seats because we were right next to the popular section where Boca’s famous fans were. It was thrilling.
Map to Boca Ticket Office
The ticket office is located on the corner of Palos and Villafañe, right down the road from La Bombonera. It’s only about 12 blocks away from us (a 15-minute walk or 5-minute cab ride).
Our Day at La Bombonera
The Boca Juniors vs. River Plate game is in two weeks. We’ll head to La Bombonera again to see if tickets can be purchased on game day, how early we need to get there, and what the tickets cost.
Have you guys ever been to a game at La Bombonera? How did you get your tickets?
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Hi Angela,
thanks for all that information. We went to La Boca yesterday and I just wanted to share our experience.
On the web I had found the tip to try one of the following (kind of ebay…) webpages:
http://www.mercadolibre.com.ar
http://www.deremate.com.ar
http://www.masoportunidades.com
We got our ticket from mercadolibre. It was $50 US instead of $50 ARS, but we found it a good compromise between the insceurity of just going and trying to get a ticket and the prices of juancho et al.
We found a vendor (SALAABASTO ) with very good reviews and gave it a shot. There were also a lot of slightly cheaper offers, but from vendors without reputation, I wouldn’t touch these.
For us everything went very smooth. We bought the tickets on the morning of the match. We couldn’t pay online, as we don’t have a Argentinian DNI, but the vendor offered paying cash or paypal as well. About an hour later we had the tickets delivered to our hostel.
The atmosphere at La 12 was very relaxed. We arrived two hours before the match and had only to queue for about 90 minutes… Bring water!
Mind though, that we visited a friendly (farewell match for Martin Palermo), I don’t know how well this will work on a regular match, but I guess it would be worth a try.
Just make sure to check, that your vendor has good reviews!!! (in merkatlibre click on the bar below “Reputación del vendedor”)
Cheers, Andreas
Thanks so much for this information, Andreas. These are great tips!
Hi there!
We went to Boca jrs v. Newells Old Boys yesterday and it was great! I booked with Juancho Futbol in the end and everything was arranged well. Beer and pizza in a Boca fan pub before the match and then the match.. They won 2-0, so great atmosphere! After the match we went to another cafe in San Telmo where we had a drink. I can recommend going to a match and Juancho are nice people to go with! Thanks for your help
Thanks, Evy! So glad you guys got to go to the game and that you liked going with Juancho. And so glad that Boca won! I really appreciate your coming back to leave your comment. It’s great that this post is becoming a group effort of advice. Cheers!!
Hi,
I was wondering if it is still possible to get Boca v Lanus tickets for tomorrow sunday 25 March by going to the stadium in the morning?
Thanks
Seb
Hi Seb,
No… it seems they have stopped selling tickets at the stadium. You are pretty much forced to go with a group or try your luck purchasing something on Mercado Libre. Lots of commenters here have left suggestions for reliable vendors on Mercado Libre.
Best of luck,
Angela
Hi,
I’m looking to buy tickets to the Boca Juniors game on May 13th. Is it too early to be contacting operators for tickets? When would they typically start selling tickets? With these operators, do I have to pay them in advance?
Also, is this site a reliable seller?
http://www.argentina-viajar.com.ar/tours_servicios/futbol_tour_ing.html
Thank you!
Hi Sherry,
I don’t know if it’s too early. I would doubt it because they have tickets to all the games from what I can tell. The only reason they might say it’s too early would be if they didn’t know whether they’d have tickets. I usually get an email every week telling me about the upcoming game and what their prices are. Sometimes they also include games for the next months, but not always. My guests have never had to pay in advance, but maybe that’s because they’re staying with me and the operators know where to find them.
I’ve not had any experience with the site you listed, so I don’t know if they’re reliable. If you do go with them or any other tour operator, please let us know your experience.
Best of luck!
Angela
hi, We are wanting to go to Boca Juniors vs Arsenal on 29 March 2012 ( in 1 days time) should be go down to the stadium tomorrow and try and buy tickets or go down at 9am on the day and try and get tickets. It is our only chance to see a game like this.
thanks for your help.
Kat
Hi Katrina… they aren’t selling tickets at the stadium anymore from what I’ve heard, though you could go down there and try. I just really think you’ll have to find another way to get tickets. The cheapest options are on Mercado Libre. You’ll want to check the vendors reputation and read the comments about the vendor before buying. There are some comments here above that mention vendors others have bought from. Or, you could go with one of the operators, but their prices are much higher. It’s unfortunate, but I suppose people are making big money off of these tickets so I don’t see them starting to sell at the stadium again any time soon.
Best of luck!
Angela
Hi Angela,
You mentioned the cheapest options are on Mercado Libre. I’m looking for tickets to the game on May 13th. I’m finding trouble finding them on the site (perhaps because I can’t read the language lol). I tried to do a search, but couldn’t find any results. Any advice?
Thank you!
This vendor has a good reputation and it says he has tickets to all of the games:
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-145895467-entradas-boca-de-local-plateas-bajas-paga-en-cuotas-envio-sc-_JM
I’d start there.
Suerte,
Angela
Just reading the previous mails, for the non-Spanish speaking people – it is best that you learn a small bit of the language before you go to Buenos Aires. I am American and learned enough to get by. I saw plenty of English speaking people expecting others to speak English there but it’s not how it works. The same goes for not being able to read the football ticket pages….you will have to read the menus there, signs, ask for directions maybe etc.
Hi guys, thanks for the information I was trying to work out how not to pay tourist prices and found this site. I went to Boca versus Arsenal tonight 29/03/2012 (Boca 2-0). I went to the stadium this morning at 1030 and bought tickets at cost price. Didn’t seem to be a restriction on the number I could buy either. Cheers!
That’s fantastic news, Dan. So glad you’ve shared this with us. Hope you had a great time at the game!
Cheers,
Angela
So you CAN buy tickets from the Stadium? What gate is the ticket selling booth at? Also, do you know what time they open?
Thank you!
Well… from what I’ve been told, it’s only for Copa games, not regular season games. But I suppose it would be worth trying on the day of the game and then having a back-up plan in case they don’t sell them at the stadium. On this blog post, I put a map to the ticket office near the stadium. You should be able to find it from that. It’s not at the stadium, but it’s right near there.
Let us know how it goes!
Angela
I should add…. yesterday, I spent the day looking for tickets for guests of ours on Mercado Libre. It’s not the easiest transaction, but it’s possible and I did get them tickets. Wish I had known that for Copa games they could have gone to the stadium to get tickets. If you should find out that they’ve begun selling tickets again for regular matches at the stadium, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let us know.
Hi Angela
Thanks for a fanrastic blog and all the info from your contributors.
We went to the Boca-Arsenal game last night and had a great time. 600 Pesos per person with Juancho. Same comments as above, we couldnt see another way to guarantee genuine tickets and couldnt handle the Spanish of mercadolibre. The two of us joined a bus-load of assorted foreigners to the prematch bar where we did get enough pizza and beer. The walk in to the stadium was smooth and we found very cramped spaces on the popular terrace. All around seemed friendly. I used my video camera and Tracey used her iphone without problem. When Boca score a goal you get bounced around quite a bit but that was part of the fun. We had to wait about an hour to get out of the stadium. but after that easy as it was a quick walk to the bus then we were delivered back to a bar within walking distance of our hotel and bought another beer. All in a great experience once you have swallowed the price.
Thanks again
Tim and Tracey
Thanks so much for contributing, Tim and Tracey. Sounds like you guys had a fantastic time. And Boca won!! It’s great that you added the part about using your video camera and iPhone without a problem. I think people make it sound like it’s all much more dangerous or unsafe than it really is.
Enjoy the rest of your time here!!
Angela
Hi.
Went to the boca – arg. Juniors game today. It was great! Bought tickets on the street in front of bombonera where All the fan-shops are. The guy seemed like he knew everyone at the stadium in a mafia kind of way. Hé had plenty of tickets to different stands for between 200 – 300 pesos. Hé even let us go ask some of the officials if the tickets ‘parece real’.
He Got away with selling us tickets for the away-stand though, but it was actually fun since they really knew how to make a spectacle + you had the full view of the boca socio stand.
I Think that no matter how you buy tickets the mafia Will have their share, but this guys prices was affordable.
Just forgot: we Bought the tickets 3 hours before tha match at which point the Streets in front of bombonera were not yet sealed off by the police (which they did 2 hours before the match). Different guys offered us tickets but we picked the one we trusted most.
Wow. That’s great information, Tobias! Thanks for sharing. The market is working it seems. We’ve also recently been in touch with a Mercado Libre vendor who can get tickets around that same price range. It’s great to be able to give our guests some options and now they have even more!
Cheers,
Angela
Hello,
I am thinking about going to Buenos Aires in the next year or so to study for a semester, and I am a huge soccer/football/futbol (whatever you call it) fan, so attending a match is a must. The thing is, I kind of worried about getting tickets, and my safety in the La Boca area. I’m not necessarily a prime target, but I am wonder if it really is a concern? I am more than likely going to school in the Belgrano district, which is where River Plate play, so getting tickets to see them may be easier. But a part of me would prefer to see Boca. My question is, how do you go about getting tickets to a Boca Juniors game, and is the stadium and surrounding area safe for an American fan? I know you said that you can show up early to get tickets, but I don’t want to get mugged while I am waiting in line or navigating the area. I know it may sound naive, but it is something that I would be concerned about. I have always wanted to visit La Bombonera and see Boca play, but all the stuff I’ve read about the area is giving me second thoughts.
Hi John,
Apparently, they are not selling tickets at the stadium for regular season games anymore. If you read people’s comments here, you’ll find suggestions for ways to get tickets that don’t require going with a tour. Things can always change, so I recommend reading the comments here because this post has become like a forum of people telling their experience.
Lots of people have found tickets on Mercado Libre. The last commenter bought his at the stadium from one of the stores three hours before the match. That’s risky, but it worked out for him and he gave some nice details to help others who want to go that route. If it’s a regular game, I don’t think they will be selling tickets at the stadium ticket booth, but if it’s a Copa game it sounds like they will be.
As far as safety goes, I think the “danger” thing is way overstated. We went with two cameras and bags and what not. No problem. Even those who have gone in the popular section have gone with cameras and phones and not had a problem. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious. The truth is… you should always be cautious in any part of the city. In fact, in the five years that I’ve been renting apartments, except for one case, all of our guests that have been robbed were robbed either on the subway or in Palermo. One girl had her bag taken in a cafe in San Telmo. Everyone else was in Palermo or the subway. But, La Boca has a sketchy area. You wouldn’t want to wander off aimlessly (though I do and I know others who do… but not a good idea if you’re worried).
Just depends on your street smarts and what you’re carrying with you. Like any large city, you could get robbed anywhere, but I don’t think the fame of La Boca being awful is true. Read through the comments. Lots of others have talked about whether they felt safe or not.
Suerte!!
Angela
Hi Angela,
Hope you are doing well! As promiesd I will write our experience for the Boca Match we went to on February 26th.
more than a month has passed since we have returned from Buenos Aires – we miss it so much and not a day passes that we talk about our great trip and not a day passes that Carlo is singing a Boca-chant
I think I have tried every possibility not to have to buy tickets froma tour operator. I also contacted several guys on mercado libre (in spanish) but never got an answer. I had a contact with Juancho already 2011 where I confirmed tickets and pizza for 460 pesos. He then contacted earlier this year saying, that the price had changed to 750 pesos. At this point I cancelled my booking and kept looking (they contacted me again, that they could get me a special price of 650 pesos – but at this stage I thought they were not very transparent).
Anyway, I ended up booking with landingpadba (Paola was very nice and helpful) a couple of days before the match, paying 590 pesos for ticket, pickup and chorizopan and beer before.
Pick up worked fine, guides were ok with good english, barbecue was nice (they sell some cheap fake shirts there for only 60 pesos) but then the trouble started. To cut a long story short, there were not enough tickets for all of us (in total around 100 persons – all divided into groups of 15 pax). Groups started getting into the stadium about 1,5 hours before the game (game starting at 19.15). My group was the last one left outside the stadium at 19.00 – you can immagine how furious I was! they told me to stay calm and that everyone will get in. At 19.05 someone came with 10 tickets in his hand and there were 15 of us. We had to fight for the tickets. I was lucky to get 2 for me and my husband, but felt sorry for the guys who didn’t get a ticket (but in the end they all got in)
Once the ticket in our hand we had a run and made it to get to the stadium. we made it just in time to the beginning of the game.
from then on, it was a fabulous experience! We were amoung some true argentinian fans and had a great time with them. Boca won 2-0.
for my husband it was a once in a lifetime experience and although I was determined to complain with landingpadba, I saw my husband happy and as it was the beginning of our holiday I just decided to have no hard feelings and seize our holidays. I did receive an excuse email from landingpadba and they said something about beginning of season problems.
I think it didn’t depend on landingpadba – but it was just bad luck to have been in the last group.
sorry for this novel, but I hope it is helpful. I found a lot of great information on Angela’s blog about Boca Matches and muchmore….but especially I found a unique place to stay in San Telmo. Grazie di nuovo Angela, speriamo di tornarci prima o poi!!!
Hola Eva…. thanks so much for sharing your experience. I’ve heard similar stories from others. In the end, I know you guys had a fantastic time. That’s what matters. But it would really be nice if there were an easier way to get into the games.
Send a hug to Carlo and I hope we will see you guys back here again one day!
Mille grazie!
Angela
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