Sport News South Africa

Frenzy for 2010 tickets around the world

There was a global scramble for 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets as soon as the online ticket portal on www.FIFA.com got underway on 20 February at 12h00 CET/13h00 South African time. Twenty-four hours after the online tickets went on sale, applications from 128 countries for 216,975 tickets had been received via the website, excluding the hard paper applications handed in by South African residents at FNB branches in the host country. The biggest number of orders came from South Africans, followed by applicants from Great Britain, the USA, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Argentina.

“These are fantastic numbers, underlining yet again the fervour taking hold around the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first on the African continent. It is very exciting and further evidence that the global football family want to be part of this unique event on this very special continent,” says David Will, FIFA Honorary Vice-President and Chairman of the FIFA Ticketing Sub-Committee.

Fans have until midnight on 31 March 2009 to make ticket applications on the www.FIFA.com website. In addition, South African residents have the opportunity to file a hard paper application in one of the 700 FNB branches across the country. This ticketing purchase solution has been developed with FIFA Partner Visa.

“We are absolutely ecstatic with the phenomenal response of football fans around the world to the start of ticket sales for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. It reinforces the faith of the global football fraternity in South Africa. We stand ready as a country and a continent to warmly welcome the world in 2010, ”says Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Organising Committee.

Irrespective of the date of their order, all applicants have the same chance of success. In case of over-subscribed matches a random selection draw will be organised on 15 April to allocate tickets for over-subscribed matches. All applicants will know by the end of April 2009 whether they have been successful or not.

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