20100416
aljazeera

South Africa has allowed the sale of football World Cup tickets over the counter after registering poor online sales.

Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa in Johannesburg said the move came as half a million tickets remained unsold less than two months before the tournament kicks off.

Fifa, the world football's governing body, has lately voiced concern over South Africa's preparedness for the World Cup.

It said last February that around 700,000 tickets were still unsold and that Soccer City, the main venue for the World Cup, had not been completed.

But the tournament organisers insisted the venue would be ready and that they were only putting finishing touches to it.

The average ticket costs $20 but many South Africans find that price beyond their means.

Limited access to the internet and use of credit cards has hampered online sales.

Fifa has had to slash the prices of some unsold VIP tickets in the hope of selling them to South Africans rather than overseas fans.