India vs Uruguay: Anirudh Thapa scores, but ₹199 tickets fail to pack Salt Lake Stadium

₹199 tickets. Free passes. A star-studded Uruguay side. Yet Salt Lake Stadium still failed to fill up. As India took on Uruguay in their high-profile international friendly on Tuesday, the sparse stands once again became one of the biggest talking points in Kolkata.

On the pitch, India gave the supporters who did turn up something to cheer about. Anirudh Thapa scored in the 22nd minute to bring India level at 1-1 against Uruguay, cancelling out Darwin Núñez's early penalty.

The match was later halted after lightning and thunder struck around the stadium shortly after the drinks break. Players from both teams were sent back to their dressing rooms, while spectators were asked to move to designated covered areas for safety. There was no rain at the time.

India vs Uruguay score: Thapa brings India back

Uruguay needed only 11 minutes to take the lead.

Núñez converted from the penalty spot after Pramveer was adjudged to have fouled Federico Viñas, putting the visitors 1-0 ahead.

India, though, responded quickly.

Ryan Williams' shot from the edge of the box was saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Thiago Cardozo, but the rebound fell kindly for Thapa. The Mohun Bagan midfielder made no mistake with the follow-up, sending the ball into the net and lifting the atmosphere inside the stadium.

The goal made it India 1-1 Uruguay, giving the Indian football team an early response after their 0-4 defeat to Brazil at the same venue three days earlier.

₹199 tickets and free passes — so where was everyone?

The turnout was difficult to ignore.

Around 15,000 spectators were present at kick-off, leaving large portions of the 68,000-capacity Salt Lake Stadium visibly empty.

That was despite organisers making a major push to bring fans back after the subdued response to the India vs Brazil football match.

Selected tickets for the Uruguay game were slashed by around 90 per cent, with tickets that had been priced at Rs 1,999 in some blocks made available for just Rs 199.

Complimentary passes were also distributed, including passes for around 22,000 people who had purchased tickets for last year's Messi event in Kolkata.

Even those measures did not produce the packed Salt Lake Stadium many would have expected for an India vs Uruguay football match.

The sight was particularly striking given Kolkata's reputation as one of India's biggest football centres, where even domestic fixtures can attract loud and passionate support.

Another empty-seat problem after Brazil match

The Uruguay game came just days after another high-profile night at the same venue.

India's match against Brazil also began with substantial empty spaces across the stands. Although the official attendance later reached 51,402 as more spectators entered during the game and complimentary passes were distributed, more than half of the stadium was empty when the match began.

Ticket prices for the Brazil fixture had also attracted criticism, with seats priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 25,000.

For the Uruguay match, organisers went in the opposite direction with steep discounts and free passes. Yet the early scenes suggested that cheaper tickets alone were not enough to recreate the packed, high-energy atmosphere traditionally associated with Salt Lake Stadium.

With PTI inputs