The 2010 ticketing frenzy is fast approaching fever pitch, with FIFA reporting that its website received almost 217,000 applications for tickets from over 128 countries in the first 24 hours - and sales only opened on Friday. This isn't even counting the paper applications received by FNB. Soccer-mad SA, of course, takes the top spot for most number of online applications, followed by Great Britain, then (to my surprise) the USA. Germany and Brazil round off the top five. However, if you're still anxiously waiting for your paycheque to clear before sending off your details, don't stress. FIFA says it makes no difference whether you apply early or on the last day of phase one, 31 March 2009 - each correctly submitted application will have the same opportunity of being successful in the random selection draw, which takes place on 15 April 2009. Learn more about the sales phases. That said, let us know whether you're off to the stadium, or just plan to cheer from your couch with your local brew, via our poll. Laadduummmmaaaaaa!

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor retailnews@bizcommunity.com Responses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive.