Some football fans from Hong Kong and Macau were left disgruntled over arrangements for a competition held at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground.

An East Asian Football Federation Championship (EAFF) qualifier between Macau and Guam was held at the sports ground on Saturday, but the Football Association of Hong Kong, China announced a change the night before that meant registration would not be available onsite, and fans would need to reserve a ticket online.

"We expected around 1,000 spectators to come and watch the match. In order to have better crowd control, it was decided by various stakeholders to implement online registration before the match. Registered individuals can collect the physical ticket at the gate," it posted online.

"We understand that the arrangements were not ideal but this tournament needs to balance the requirements of and concerns from all government officials. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Two fans from Macau said they were here to support the SAR's team.

"We hope they can improve the arrangements. Even if we have to buy tickets, it's fine, but they should notify us earlier," they told RTHK.

Another local fan said the arrangement was unreasonable, but he wanted to have a look at the new venue.

"They just announced a day earlier, at about 5 pm, and we had to reserve a ticket at 6 pm. Not everyone monitors the association's social media for ticketing," he said.

The association said 400 tickets were distributed online, with the rest sent to local organisations, schools, and participating teams.

A man said many fans were disappointed about the arrangement.

"If they require fans to register online, then they should do it at least two to three days in advance, and also specify the quota," he said.

"I only found out there were just 400 tickets distributed after I submitted the online form."

Guam beat Macau 2-1, and will play in the final at the Hong Kong Stadium next Tuesday.