FIFA adjust World Cup ticket supply

World governing body FIFA has cut off part of the supply of 2002 World Cup tickets to Korea and Japan to divert extra tickets to foreign fans.

International ticket sales for the 2002 finals to Japanese and Korean people has been suspended.

Vice president David Will said today:

"FIFA feels strongly that the FIFA World Cup is a global event. It is important the tickets be made available to people from every corner of the world," Will told a press conference in Tokyo.

"FIFA feels it has an obligation to ensure that international fans have proper opportunity to purchase tickets for their teams as these teams gradually qualify," he said.

FIFA sold 71,000 tickets to international fans from February 15th to April 30th Of those according to Will more than 22,000 tickets were purchased by people in Japan and South Korea.

Sales to Japanese and South Koreans in the second phase of ticket applications that began May 23th and closes November 15th are now suspended.

South Korea and Japan fans can now only buy tickets through the domestic application process which has been swamped by inquiries for tickets for the finals which start on May 30th.

Will said FIFA had received 4,394 applications from Japan and South Korea in the first 48 hours after the second phase of international ticket sales opened, compared with 1,738 received from other countries and the acquisition of tickets by fans of the host nations continued to rise .

Japanese and South Koreans will still be able to buy tickets in the international market during the third phase of ticket release from November 15th to January 15th. It is only the current disparity in the second wave of ticket applications which FIFA has moved to correct.

2.4 million applications two thirds of the domestic ticket allocation have been sold already.

"Demand for tickets here in Japan has been quite extraordinary," Will said.

"We are absolutely delighted by this enthusiasm."

$55.3 million dollars has been raised so far through ticket sales according to the Japanese organisers.