Up to date information on ticket categories & sales for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

How many tickets are on sale? There are about 3 million in total for the 64 matches, and 740,000 are available in this phase.

How do I get my hands on tickets? The only official place to get them at this stage is through the FIFA website. You have to register here. It is different for South African nationals, who can also buy them through the First National Bank.

Can I buy loads of tickets? You can get up to four tickets per match for up to seven fixtures. You can't apply for more than one match on the same day.

What if I buy tickets and my country doesn't make it? As well as individual tickets for the 64 matches, you can apply for a series of tickets to follow the country of your choice. These are valid for anything from three to seven games and, if your team don't make it, you will get your money back.

I support England, if they do make it will there be more tickets available? Yes, and more than usual. The 32 countries that make it will be offered 12 per cent of the tickets for their matches in the group stage compared to 8 per cent at Germany 2006. Obviously, these tickets go on sale at a later date.

When are the next tickets available? There are four more phases. The second is between 4 May 2009 and 16 November 2009. Later phases are yet to be decided.

Is it the same system? No. Most tickets will be sold through the website, but not all. And in the next phase it is a first come, first served process.

Will it be a sell out? Almost certainly. South Africa is bracing itself for 400,000 visitors, with games being played in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Rustenburg. 

Ticket prices and categories for 2010 FIFA World Cup matches have been approved. Tickets will go on sale from 20 February 2009, with a special category for South African residents ranging in price from R140 to R6 000.

The cheapest tickets for 2010 are priced below what the cheapest tickets were in the Japan/South Korea World Cup (in 2002), which was $50 (R350) and also be cheaper than Germany (2006), which was €58 (R550).

All games have four ticket price categories, which reflect how good the seats are (see image below). Category four is reserved for locals. See the table below, prices are in US dollars.

Sepp Blatter stated in 2006 on the 2010 Match Tickets; "We need to make sure that people in South Africa will be able to afford the tickets. We need to make them less expensive than those in Germany, but not too inexpensive as the local organising committee needs the income from ticketing sales. A possible scenario is to sell tickets to the local population at prices less than their face value".

World Cup Fans

World Cup football fans don't be duped by fake offers. Only buy your tickets through a reputable seller who guarantees their authenticity.

FIFA has recently stated that they feel the German ticketing system is much too complicated and that they plan to do their own ticket distribution for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Critizing the strict German controls, Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA says it has already been decided. FIFA will take charge of the 2010 World Cup ticketing. They are already in advanced discussions with the South African government that will give the 2010 World Cup the most comprehensive anti-touting legislation, and controls including giving police the right to confiscate a touted ticket.