<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">DOHA- Argentina fans staged a second day of demonstrations Friday outside a Doha hotel demanding that their country's national federation help them to get tickets for the World Cup final.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Amid a growing frenzy ahead of Sunday's game against defending champions France, supporters said the cheapest official tickets are selling on underground markets for more than $4,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Scores of fans gathered outside the Doha hotel where the Argentina Football Association is based.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday night there were angry exchanges with officials outside the hotel. Some fans carried placards reading "AFA give us tickets".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The federation finally agreed to a meeting with a delegation of three fans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each country that qualified for the quarter-finals was given an extra allocation of tickets for matches they reached.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But with even more fans arriving from Argentina and France for the game, no announcement was made on whether more tickets will be made available.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lusail Iconic Stadium holds about 88,900 people but more than 30,000 Argentinians are reported to be in Qatar. Many have taken out loans to be in the Gulf state to see Lionel Messi's last bid to win a World Cup title.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ticket negotiations are being held on a multitude of WhatsApp groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some Argentinian fans showed AFP messages requesting more than $4,000 for final tickets with a face value of $750.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most expensive tickets, which FIFA says should cost $5,850, are being offered for more than $14,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Roberto Bascur, 53, who has been in Qatar since the start of the tournament, said he had bought tickets for every Argentina match from unofficial sources.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Whoever was selling outside the stadium had at least 15-20 tickets."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cintia Echanis, 51, said the protesters wanted access to tickets at the official price.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"What happens is that the resale is about $5,000, and it is a lot for those of us who have been here since the beginning and who have paid for many tickets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We don't want problems. What we want as Argentinians is to have the chance cheer for Argentina again," she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Argentina association did not immediately comment on the availability of tickets. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>