FIFA allocates 120 000 free ticketsThe 2010 FIFA World Cup Ticket Fund was formally unveiled by FIFA and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa on Friday, 14 August 2009, exactly 300 days before the opening game. A unique initiative in the 80-year history of the World Cup is the allocation of 120 000 complimentary Category 4 tickets to South Africans directly involved with the event and worthy social and development initiatives linked to the tournament. The tickets will be issued as a reward for thousands of South Africans, particularly the country's youth, who are involved in existing programmes aimed at encouraging participation in football and community-oriented initiatives and will act as a catalyst for the establishment of sustainable social and human development programmes using the game of football. “The Ticket Fund aims to use the excitement and passion for the game in the country as a tool to motivate and engage people, particularly young South Africans, on topics such as education, health and the environment,” said the FIFA President, Joseph S Blatter. In September 2008, he nominated about 20 000 construction workers as the first beneficiaries of the Ticket Fund. Each worker will receive two tickets for a group stage match at the venue that they helped to build. Focus on projectsThe focus is on projects supported by the six FIFA Partners, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai/Kia, Sony and Visa, through which 80 000 tickets will be assigned.
Crucially, the fund initiative will not end when the final whistle is blown on 11 July 2010 but will continue to create opportunities for South Africans for years to come. For further information and updates on the projects, visit www.FIFA.com. |