Ticket prices and categories for 2010 Fifa World Cup matches taking place in South Africa have been approved. Tickets will go on sale from February 2009, with a special category for South African residents ranging in price from R136 to R6 000.

According to Fifa.com, the prices and categories were approved by a committee under the chairmanship of Fifa vice president Issa Hayatou, and reflect Fifa's positioning of the World Cup as a premium international sporting event while also taking into account the South African market.

The tickets will go on sale in several phases, starting around February 2009, ranging in price from an estimated R136 for a category four ticket for a group stage match to about R6 143 for a category four ticket for final matches.

Read more on the match schedule 2010.

Category four tickets are to make up some 15% of an estimated three million purchasable tickets and will be sold exclusively to people living in South Africa, enabling local residents with low monthly incomes to attend matches.

Tickets in categories one, two and three will be sold on a worldwide basis, both on the international and domestic South African market.

Ticket purchases in categories one to three will be payable in US dollars, and those in category four in South African rands.

The ticket distribution system has yet to be finalised, with the internet expected to play a major but not exclusive role.

In a World Cup first, Fifa, its partners and the South African local organising committee (LOC) will be allocated 120 000 category four tickets to be distributed to residents through a special programme that will form part of a social responsibility initiative.

"Not only have we managed to provide a low-price category and a well-balanced price range but also an innovation by creating a special ticket fund," said ticketing sub-committee chairman David Will.

Read more about free 2010 tickets.

"These arrangements take into account of the importance of the World Cup and cater at the same time for the needs of fans in South Africa."

As in the past, tickets that are not bought by stakeholders such as Fifa member associations will subsequently be put on sale to the general public.

The 32 participating member associations will be offered 12% of the purchasable tickets for each of their matches (previously 8%) in the group phase and an average 8% in the knockout phases.

Molo says: Read more about the 2010 LOC, possible Fan Parks & Public Viewing Areas and the 2010 Host Cities.”

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