Huge Demand For World Cup Tickets

As expected Football Federation Australia was today inundated with applications for tickets to Australia’s matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

As expected Football Federation Australia was today inundated with applications for tickets to Australia-s matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

With only 8,500 tickets available, demand was always going to exceed supply.

Applications were received from 9am AEDST with over 22,000 received by 5pm including 10,000 applications in the first 30 minutes.

“It-s quite an overwhelming response and a spectacular demand for World Cup tickets,” said FFA Chief Executive John O-Neill.

”We said last Friday that demand would exceed supply and it-s certainly done that.”

“No applications were taken before 9.00am.”

“We opened for business at 9.00am this morning and I am pleased to say the system held up; it was put under a lot of pressure between 9.00am and 11.30am with 14,000 applications received up to 11.30am which is obviously a substantial number.”

“Over the next four days we will be processing those applications with an objective of notifying the successful applicants of their ticket allocation from this Friday.”

“It-s a process that had integrity, it was open and as transparent as it possibly could have been and everyone has been given an equal chance. In terms of processing those applications, they will be processed upon the order in which they were received from 9am AEDST.”

The FFA continues to work with both FIFA and the FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Germany in an attempt to secure additional tickets for the Australian public, however there is no guarantee that additional tickets will become available.

Fans can also continue to apply for tickets through the LOC via the Public Ticket Sales Process.

A summary of ticketing options as stated on www.fifaworldcup.com is as follows:

The procedure for ticket allocation for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany (TM) has been divided into five phases. Between the individual phases no applications can be submitted.

* The first sales phase began on 1 February 2005 and ended on 31 March 2005 * The second sales phase began on 2 May 2005 and ended on 15 November 2005. * The third sales phase will began on the 12th of December 2005 and will end 15th of January 2006. The procedure corresponds to that of phase one: All properly submitted registrations received during this stage will be considered for allocation. If the number of submitted applications for tickets exceeds the number of tickets set aside for this stage, tickets will be allocated by draw on 31st of January 2006. Important: It makes no difference whether you register early, on 12th of December 2005, or late, on 15th of January 2006. Every properly submitted application will stand the same chance to win at the draw. * The fourth sales phase will start on 15th of February 2006 and will end on 15th of April 2006. Ticket applications submitted during this stage will be processed in the order of receipt (according to the principle “First come, first served“). Ticket allocation in the fourth phase will end with all tickets set aside for this phase being allocated, or by 15th of April 2006 latest. * The fifth sales phase (last minute phase) will start on 1st of May 2006 and will end by 9th of July 2006. Ticket applications submitted during this fifth phase will be processed in the order of receipt (according to the principle of “First come, first served“). Ticket allocation will end when all tickets set aside for the fifth sales phase have been allocated, or by 9th of July latest. During this phase tickets will be allocated via the internet as well as via selected advance booking centers at the venues. At these centers you can pay cash or by credit card.-

Further ticketing options operated by the LOC include an ‘internet ticket portal- that will allow fans the opportunity to transfer ownership of match tickets by legal means at face value. As with the worldwide ticketing process, Australian supporters can participate in this process when it is scheduled to open on February 1. Further information on the LOC internet ticket portal can be accessed via http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/051021/1/51as.html