FIFA to give away free 2010 tickets

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Johannesburg - International football governing body FIFA, is to give away over 120 000 tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, says Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Danny Jordaan.

Launching the 2010 FIFA World Cup Ticket Fund on Friday, just 300 days before the kick-off to the world cup, Dr Jordaan said a total of 120 000 complimentary category four tickets would be allocated to deserving South Africans involved directly with the world cup. 

"Forty-thousand tickets would be given to the 20 000 construction workers who worked on stadium projects.

"If you helped build the stadiums, you'll get a ticket. Everyone else must queue," joked Dr Jordaan.

The remaining 80 000 tickets will be distributed to deserving South Africans as well as six FIFA partners, Adidas, Hyundai/Kia, Sony, Coca-Cola, Emirates and Visa.

According to Dr Jordaan, the tickets are being issued to reward thousands of South Africans, particularly the country's youth, who are involved in programmes aimed at encouraging participation in football. 

He said the Ticket Fund aims to use the excitement and passion for soccer in the country as a tool to motivate and engage people, especially the youth, on topics such as education, health and environment.

"The Ticket Fund which is the first of its kind in the 80 years of the FIFA World Cup, will not end when the final whistle is blown on 11 July 2010 as it has just marked the beginning of long-term partnerships that will continue to create opportunities for South Africans for years to come," he said.