Early global 2010 World Cup ticket applications are strong but South African hosts have been slow in securing seats to the curtain-raiser Confederations Cup, organisers said Tuesday.

More than 506,000 worldwide online applications for World Cup tickets had been made since ticket applications opened on February 20.

“The tremendous response is extremely exciting and gives us a great deal of confidence,” said Irvin Khoza, chairman of the local organising committee.

“It is now even more important for us to ensure that the Confederations Cup will be a success,” he said.

Only 170,000 of the 646,000 available tickets for the Confederations Cup, traditionally seen as a curtain-raiser to the world’s top football event, have been sold ahead of the eight nation tournament’s kick-off on June 14.

“The Confederations Cup is a important appetiser for the World Cup, the rate at which South Africans are buying tickes is very slow,” said Khoza.

“We encourage South Africans to go and apply for tickets now,” Khoza told reporters. “South Africans must ensure that they fill the stadium so that they are given a test before the World Cup,” he added.

South Africa Slow To Buy Confeds Cup Tickets But WC2010 Sales Strong … read more »

South Africa will stage the best World Cup in history when it hosts the global showpiece in 2010, Barcelona’s Cameroon international striker Cameroon Eto’o said on Thursday.

“FIFA did the right thing in granting the World Cup to us. I say and I repeat that this will be the most beautiful Cup ever held,” the former African Player of the Year told a sport conference in Barcelona.

“People don’t know Africa, when someone talks about Africa, people believe we still use bows and arrows,” the 27-year-old added.

“They will be pleasantly surprised if they go to South Africa. It’s the best way to show the whole world that there is more to Africa than just famine.”

The one month global football fiesta, beginning on June 11 next year, is being staged for the first time in Africa at 10 stadiums in nine South African cities hosting the world’s best teams.

Tickets for the event went on sale last week. Organisers are optimistic about ticket sales but have expressed caution that the event may be affected by the global economic slump.

Stadium construction for the event has been hampered by delays and worker strikes, but concerns that the venues would not be ready have abated with most construction on schedule.