Ticket touts were demanding 15,000 francs (£1,550Stg) for seats at the World Cup opener between Brazil and Scotland yesterday as hordes of ticketless fans descended on Paris hours before kick-off. The seats should cost between £15 and £37.

One London tout on the Champs Elysees said: "The tickets are about as scarce as rockinghorse shit." There are strict laws governing ticket sales for the World Cup but the touts said the police were not bothering them.

The organisers may face a hefty fine from the European Commission for the way they have handled sales of the 2.6 million tickets.

Scotland were allocated an initial 5,000 tickets for the game against Brazil in Paris's 80,000seat Stade de France. That allocation turned the Tartan Army into the ticketless army.

"We've been here three days and we've only met a couple of guys who've actually got tickets," said Ian McLennan from Inverness. "This is my third World Cup and I have to say the ticket situation has been a shambles."

Ticketless fans congregated at central points such as the Eiffel Tower or headed out to St Denis to watch the match relayed on giant video screens outside the stadium.

Fifteen fans, including two Scots, were arrested and another was assaulted after trouble broke out before yesterday's opening match at the Stade de France.

Eleven of those arrested were due to appear in court while three were released. Most were French but three were of African origin. One of the two Scots was still being questioned.

Scotland's odds to win the World Cup have drifted to 250-1 from 150-1 following their 2-1 defeat against Brazil. The holders remain at 11-4 favourites.