Ticket sales begin today

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Feb 20, 2009

[WORLD CUP 2010] The sale of the approximately 3 million tickets available for the 2010 World Cup begins Friday.

Information:
World Cup 2010 Ticketing
World Cup 2010 Schedule

AVAILABILITY:
-- Fans can apply for tickets in the first phase of sales that begins Friday. Fans have until March 31, 2009, to apply for the allotment of 740,000 tickets. If demand exceeds supply for a certain category, tickets will be awarded by a random drawing, which will take place on April 15, 2009.
-- Fans of the qualified teams can purchase tickets later in the year after their national team has qualified. There will be 570,000 tickets made available later to these fans.
-- Tour operators will have tickets available for sale as part of tour packages. There will be 344,000 tickets made available to tour operators.
(FIFA will also distribute tickets to its sponsors and partners. FIFA and the South African organizing committee have also agreed to distribute 100,000 free tickets to South Africans.)

PRICES:
-- Opening game: $200-$450
-- Group games: $80-$160
-- Second round: $100-$200
-- Quarterfinals: $150-$300
-- Semifinals: $250-$600
-- Third place: $150-$300
-- Final: $400-$900
(Prices are for category 1-3 tickets. Category 4 tickets, at cheaper prices, will only be available to South African residents.)

TYPES:
-- Individual match tickets;
-- Team-specific ticket series packages.
(Fans can purchase up to four tickets a game.)

DISTRIBUTION:
-- Tickets themselves will not be distributed until April, 2010.