The conclusion of the Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was followed by another important event in the countdown to the kick-off of the tournament – the opening of the latest phase of ticketing sales. This stage of sales is potentially the most important to date, with the majority of tickets expected to be snapped up by the time this phase closes in just over a months time, on 22 January 2010. For this reason FIFA would like to take this opportunity to point out a few key factors in the ticket purchasing process.
Application Procedure
Tickets can be applied for in two ways with the main source being www.fifa.com/2010, whilst South African residents have the opportunity to apply for tickets by visiting a branch of FNB. The ticket purchase follows a very simple procedure:
- Application form submitted at www.fifa.com/2010 or at an FNB branch (for residents of South Africa) by 22 January 2010.
- Random selection draw takes place on 1 February 2010.
- Applicants notified within 10 days of the draw, with payment being taken for successful applications.
The reason for the random draw process is simple – FIFA wants to give every fan the equal chance of getting tickets to the most popular games. For that reason a random draw is the fairest way to allocate the tickets.
For games which are not over subscribed by 22 January 2010 there will be no random draw. Tickets will be allocated to all applicants.
Handy hints
Demand for tickets at this stage of the sales process is expected to be very high. For that reason FIFA has a couple of tips for fans to ensure that chances of getting tickets are as high as possible:
- For high profile matches in the group stages and matches in the knockout phase there will be a greater chance of obtaining tickets by applying for Category 1 or 2 tickets. Whilst higher priced, these tickets are likely to provide fans with a better viewing experience.
- There is a higher chance of being successful in applying for tickets to lower profile games. Don’t forget, the FIFA World Cup™ is a one-off experience and the atmosphere at every game will be unforgettable.
- Any tickets remaining after the sales phase ending on 22 January 2010 will be sold on a first-come first-served basis between 9 February and 7 April 2010.
- This will then be followed by a Last minute sales phase between 15 April and 11 July 2010. However, very few tickets are expected to be available at this stage.
