World Cup 2010 Tickets

We have been getting a lot of emails in from people wanting to know more about tickets for the 2010 World Cup and when they will go on sale.

If everything was to happen as it did for the 2006 World Cup in Germany this is the expected time-line for ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup:

• 2007 - World Cup 2010 ticketing policies defined and ticket allocation model developed
• 2008 - World Cup 2010 ticket packages set up, ticket requirements defined and preferential ticket sales started
• 2009 - Public ticket sales open
• 2010 - Ticket distribution

We know nothing more than this right now as the ticketing process is controlled by FIFA but we can assure you that FIFA will offer an excellent ticketing system, that you will have plenty of time to register your interest for.

Please note also that registering your interest for tickets does not automatically mean you will get any tickets but the system will be fair and you will have plenty of time to apply.

You can also read more information in our FAQ on tickets for the 2010 World Cup.

News articles linked to ticketing for the 2010 World Cup:

• Tickets to go on sale this Friday, but don't worry, you have time
• More promotion needed for 2010 World Cup and ticket prices confirmed for SA residents
• Tickets for 2010 World Cup on sale from June
• Official: World Cup final tickets set at $20 for South African residents
• Looking to tickets for a World Cup match? Be careful and cautious

England to be best supported in South Africa and potential new phase for ticket sales to be introduced

Rumour and speculation is trickling through that ticket sales for the World Cup in June are not going as hoped and that England supporters might get an increased allocation. Surely, if this is true, it just strengthens the England Bid for 2018?

The news comes after several countries announced that they have only sold a fraction of their tickets for the event starting in just over four months.

FIFA is due to announce today the results of the third phase of ticket sales tomorrow and the talk is that they will add an additional phase to allow national associations more time to sell their tickets.

England look set to be one of the best supported nations in South Africa as the Football Association announced recently that members of Englandfans, the official supporters' club, had bought 23,000 of the official allocation of 29,000 available with half of the unsold tickets an allocation to the third-fourth place play-off match, traditionally a match that doesn't sell very quickly.

But it isn't just England that are selling well, the United States also look like they will be one of the best supported teams at the World Cup and it is expected there will be large numbers travelling from the US.

If FIFA do add an additional phase to the ticket sales, there is every chance that the allocation for England fans will also increase for matches where they are over subscribed which means more tickets for supporters travelling to South Africa.

It is worth noting that the figures above are from the English FA and that tickets sold via the FIFA website are not added. So, while England fans have purchased 23,000 tickets of 29,000 available through the FA - there is every chance that they have sold another 23,000 through the FIFA website.

One thing you can be sure of and that is the World Cup will be a sell out, but don't think that means you can relax and take it easy. Phase four stars on February 9th - you have to get your tickets ordered or you might not get one.

Referee list for 2010 World Cup released

The referee list for the World Cup kicking off in June has been released by FIFA.

The full list, it that interests you, can be downloaded from the FIFA website here, but as most of our visitors come from the UK and USA - the English speaking countries, you´ll be interested to know who is representing you.

From England, it is Howard Webb and his two assistants will be Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey. No doubt they will have a good tournament.

The USA didn´t actually get a referee for the finals, however they did have Jair Marrufo make the list of prospective referees.

Chances are he didn´t make the final cut after getting suspended by the MLS in September for ¨poor performances¨, although he is a well respected referee and is expected back soon.

All 30 referees (plus the 60 assistants), selected from 28 countries will take part in a training seminar next month. Good luck refs and remember; two yellow cards and a player is off.

http://www.worldcup2010southafrica.com/world-cup/2010-news/referee-list-for-2010-world-cup-released/

SMS World Cup ticket and lottery scam starts up

This is just a little warning for those that have received an SMS telling them they have won money or free tickets to the World Cup, that sorry, you haven't.

All that is happening is the fraudsters are getting advanced. Instead of sending out emails, that a lot of email providers and spam protection filters are now recognising, they are sending them via SMS and hoping that of the thousands they send out, just a few reply.

This is a scam, it is not real and our best advice to you is to just delete the message and not even reply. By replying you are only confirming that your number functions and that only means you are likely to get more messages in the future.

http://www.worldcup2010southafrica.com/world-cup/2010-news/sms-world-cup-ticket-and-lottery-scam-starts-up/

Cape Town stadium is ready and waiting for some football

The stadium to be used in Cape Town during the 2010 World Cup is now complete and the keys are now firmly in the pocket of Cape Town Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato.

“At a special ceremony to mark the completion of one of the world’s most spectacular stadiums, the ‘keys’ will be handed by the main contractors, Murray and Roberts and WBHO, to Cape Town’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato,” the city said in a statement last week.

The stadium is a 68,000 all seater facility and construction began in March 2007 and it has been completed on schedule, if a little over budget.

During construction the stadium used 96,000 cubic metres of concrete, the roof has a total weight of 4,700 tons (about the same weight as 325 London double decker buses) and uses 9,000 glass panels to over 37,000 square metres of roof.

The stadium is also now officially named the Cape Town Stadium and will host eight matches during the World Cup including one semi final match.

Where to buy tickets?

Your first port of call should be the FIFA website. Phase three of the ticketing process has begun and it closes on January 22nd. After that, you only have two more phases to get tickets through FIFA and this will be the cheapest and most effective way for individual tickets.
Tour operators selling World Cup tickets

FIFA have also approved a large number of tour operators all over the world to sell tickets as part of a package. If you are looking for travel and accommodation with a ticket there are a number of companies that can arrange this for you.

Fortunately, FIFA have also created a list of approved tour operators and you can view that list here. If you want to be confident that you are buying a ticket from an approved supplier then you must check this list. If they are not listed they are not approved - check the list first!
Bling bling: Going corporate hospitality

There is one more option and this is the best way to attend a match, but at the same time, the most expensive. However, if you´ve got it and it´s spare, you just have to go this route.

MATCH Hospitality is FIFA's worldwide ´exclusive rights holder´ of the Official Hospitality Programme for the World Cup next year in South Africa and as such they have, as of today, tickets for every match and you get to go in style. The best seats, top of the line catering, bar service, dedicated parking, entertainment and gifts are all provided.

If you are interested in this package then the only place you can get this is here. Do not plan this type of package with any other company.
How much? I´ll give you £50: The black market

This will happen, nobody can stop it. From outside the stadium to online - there will be promises of a ticket at a really good price, but again, be very careful as chances are, they wont be real tickets.

First things first - nobody will get their tickets delivered to their door, they have to be picked up in South Africa, with the card used to purchase them. So even if you did find that elusive ticket for England v USA on eBay, you´d have to be in South Africa to stand any chance of getting your hands on it and then there is every likelihood it will be a fake.
Fake Tickets for World Cup matches?

Yes, there will be fake tickets and at the end of the day, that is why FIFA have put in place an authorised tour operator list and a number of phases for you to buy tickets online.

If you don´t manage to get your ticket through one of the above authorised methods then chances are you are not going to get one.

So, you still want a ticket? These are the important links you´ll need:

* Official list of tour operators. If the tour operator isn´t on here they are not official
* MATCH Hospitality. These are the guys you go to if you want something special
* FIFA Website. Phase Three has just begun. Hurry up!

FIFA will hand out 120,000 free tickets to South Africans for the 2010 World Cup.

Furthermore, the cheapest tickets for the World Cup will cost less than £10 - but will also only be available to South Africa residents.

Confident: Sepp Blatter

Read more...

• World Cup draw: Scotland don't fear anyone, insists McLeish
• England fall to 12th in world rankings and out of top seeds for World Cup draw
• West Ham boss Curbishley: England job is not for me but we have got world-class footballers
• POWELL: England is now a second-world football nation
• Spurs legend Klinsmann 'is the ideal man to revive England' insists Beckenbauer
• Sacked McClaren splashes out on a SECOND Caribbean villa after £2.5m England payout
• You blew it and I'd have been brilliant, O'Neill tells FA after turning down England
• Five steps to new England, with no Scots in sight
• FA face the hard sell as one by one, club bosses rule out England job
• Why it might be time to say hello to Capello as England manager
• England goalkeeping coach Clemence denies link with new football agency
• Sanchez: Sacked England boss McClaren's multi-million pay-off is justified
• England fall to 12th in world rankings and out of top seeds for World Cup draw
• United boss Ferguson: I told McClaren he was too young to be England manager

The free tickets will be provided by FIFA's commercial partners.

To ensure that South Africans on low incomes will be able to afford to attend World Cup matches, FIFA have confirmed category four tickets will cost as little as 20 dollars (£9.72) for group matches and 150 dollars (£72.90) for the final - the lowest prices since 1990.

Between 15% and 20% of the seats will be designated category four tickets.

The most expensive category one tickets will cost 900 dollars (£437) for the final, FIFA announced at a news conference in Durban.

The cheapest tickets for overseas fans will start at 80 dollars (£38.88).

Meanwhile kick-off times for the tournament will be either 1pm, 4pm and 8pm local time - or 12noon, 3pm and 7pm BST.

World Cup organisers said measures would be taken to ensure the free and cheap tickets would not be sold on to overseas fans - it has been suggested that ticket holders may have to also produce South African ID cards to gain access to the stadia.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said: "We are working on measures to make sure there is no black market."

Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the local organising committee, added: "We cannot announce the measures three years beforehand as people will try to develop counter-measures.

"Our target is the poor football fans in this country and if there is someone in an England shirt in that seat we will know something has gone wrong."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter expressed his confidence that all the stadia would be ready in time and said that in order to minimise labour disruptions construction workers will be given an annual bonus if they do not strike.

Blatter said: "We are not only confident but we are sure all the constructions will be ready for the 2010 World Cup.

"They are transparent and honest that not everything may be ready for the 2009 Confederations Cup but there are enough stadiums for that, and for 2010 everything will be ready.

"We are more than confident and trust the organisation here."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/index.html