90% of World Cup tickets sold

13 May 2010

PRETORIA: FIFA has sold about 90% of the more than three million tickets made available for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the Local Organising Committee said.

"I have no doubt that come kick off all the matches will be sold out," Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan said at a press conference to mark one month before kick off on Tuesday, 11 May 2010.

In 2006, Germany sold around 92 percent of the total number of tickets available and with just 30 days left before the start of this year's World Cup, it is likely that South Africa may also end up recording a similar figure.

Jordaan said most South Africans had used banking group FNB and over the counter sales to purchase their tickets. "FNB and the over the counter system really proved to be popular among South Africans," he said.

FIFA introduced the over the counter sales model, a first in the history of the World Cup tournament, after it had emerged that the majority of South Africans were struggling to get tickets via internet applications and other ways initially in place.

Most of the high profile matches including the opening match, semi-final and the final have been sold out. Hosts South Africa is leading the ticket sales with more than 1.1 million tickets purchased in the country. SA is followed by the United States, then the UK and Australia at fourth place.