FIFA Wants South Africa To Boost Local World Cup Ticket Sales

The South Africa 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee has been ordered by FIFA to "boost local ticket sales or face accusations that they are only interested in attracting rich foreign football fans," according to Alex Duval Smith of the London OBSERVER. The warning came as the organizing committee "admitted that 80[%] of applications for the 3 million tickets have come from outside the country." South Africa 2010 World Cup CEO Danny Jordaan: "It is disappointing. If the random draw for phase one tickets was to take place now, 750,000 tickets would go overseas and 500 would be left for South Africa." Duval Smith noted the ticket application process is in "five phases -- the first of which ends" on March 31 -- and each application phase "culminates in a lottery, after which tickets are allocated." FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke said that he was "'astounded' not to see posters and promotions when he visited the country." South Africa-based brand expert Doug de Villiers: "Many people are under the impression that tickets are only available to tourists. God forbid that we watch the games on television and see empty stadiums" (London OBSERVER, 3/8).