Despite sales of 650 000 World Cup tickets in total to date, few of them have been sold to African soccer fans, with the exception of those in South Africa, report the Cape Times and Cape Argus.
South Africans (350 000) have bought just more than half of all the World Cup tickets, followed by soccer fans from the USA (86 000), the UK (50 000), and Germany (25 000).
Addressing Parliament earlier this week, 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan speculated that soccer fans from Africa were waiting for their teams to qualify before they bought tickets. So far, South Africa, Ghana and the Ivory Coast are the only African countries to have qualified for the 2010 World Cup. Jordaan said that he was disappointed that ticket sales from South Africa’s closest neighbours were still poor.
Local organising Committee’s Irvin Khoza said that he wanted more South Africans to buy tickets, and a marketing campaign to achieve this will be launched after the FIFA Final Draw on 4 December. He said that rumours that the special South African low-priced tickets, at R 140, had been sold out, were incorrect.
Jordaan confirmed that vuvuzelas would be welcomed at the soccer matches, but should they land on the pitch, they would be banned immediately. “The vuvuzela must be used and allowed at World Cup stadiums next year, but … it should be used as a friendly, welcoming instrument , not as a weapon or missile.”
During the 2010 World Cup, the Global Icons Expo-Tainment Experience will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, for the duration of the World Cup, reports Southern African Tourism Update. The expo sees 24 countries exhibiting, a different country every day, reflecting that country’s “sights, sounds and flavours in one global village. Corporates will be able to entertain their guests, soccer fans will be able to cheer the festivities and families will be able to enjoy an entertaining day out”. The Mandela Rhodes Foundation will benefit from the expo’s proceeds.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com
20
3070
27k
20
Tonight could be the worldcup last, spain do your bet. I’m searching forward that a person win the entire world cup