The second ticketing sales window for the 2014 World Cup Brazil opened on Monday. More than 220,000 tickets "are available in this sales window for 57 matches and FIFA is warning that demand is expected to be high." Unlike the first sales window, "the second window will allocate tickets on a first come first served basis" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/11). ... The first batch of close to 1.1 million tickets for the 2014 FIFA
World Cup have been allocated. Following the success of the first
"Random Draw" period, with nearly 890,000 tickets allocated, the
remaining tickets available in the First Come First Served period were
sold out only seven hours after the window opened. Tickets were made
available for purchase by fans around the world via FIFA.com. About 62%
went to Brazilians and 38% to int'l buyers. The top five nations
were Brazil followed by the U.S., Australia, England and Argentina (FIFA). ... England's plans for its friendly against Chile on Friday "have been
disrupted by a stomach virus" at St. George's Park that has forced it to
abandon its usual base out of concerns it could sweep through Manager
Roy Hodgson's squad. After various guests reported falling ill, Hodgson
"has been advised to keep his players away from the Staffordshire venue
or risk them going down with the same bug" (London GUARDIAN, 11/11). ... The Swaziland FA insisted that the first official match between Swaziland and South Africa "where caps will be awarded to players is definitely on." Reacting to a call by South Africa trade union federation Cosatu to have the match in Mbabane on Friday canceled, the Swaziland FA said that "they were finalising preparations for the game" (SOWETAN LIVE, 11/8). ... First Division clubs have been given until the end of December "to decide if they want to join the new Hong Kong Premier League, scheduled to kick off in September next year" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 11/11). ... Equatorial Guinea is reportedly being offered the incentive of a €5M ($6.7M) bonus payment "if they can beat Spain." It is understood that the country's second VP Teodoro Nguema Obiang, son of President Teodoro Obiang, "has promised the amount" during a meeting with Equatorial Guinean Football Federation President Domingo Mituy Edjang (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 11/11).
