thirds of soccer enthusiasts in 23 nations feel the first World Cup Finals on African soil has become too expensive for fans to enjoy, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Host South Africa kicked off the 2010 tournament Friday with a 1-1 draw against Mexico who scored an equalizer late in the second half, breaking the hearts of fans in the Soccer City stadium who had hoped their under-dog team may have begun the competition with a win. But many South Africans could not afford the tickets to see their team play live, instead having to watch it on massive television screens set up in public fan parks. In a poll of more than 12,000 soccer supporters in 23 nations, some 65 percent said the games were too expensive for the average fan. A separate poll of more than 2,500 South Africans found 78 percent shared that view. FIFA was criticized for its initial online ticket selling system, which excluded poorer South Africans who do not have access to the Internet. The soccer world's governing body then introduced cash ticket sales centers, but many found the tickets for the guaranteed three South African games had already gone. “I'm from South Africa but couldn't get a ticket to see them play,” fan Eli Motau complained. Of the 23 other countries polled a majority of fans in richer nations, with Britain, Germany, France and Brazil topping the list, also said the finals were too expensive. Andy Bird who traveled from Britain to watch England play said that a perception of high costs had largely stemmed from exaggeration mostly in the British media, who had portrayed mountainous flight, hotel and food expenses. “The reality is something else,” he said, adding he had been surprised at how inexpensive the country was. “I only hope that people did not come just because they thought it was too expensive.” Organizers have revised down the estimated number of fans expected to attend the month-long tournament from some 450,000 to around 350,000 to 375,000, partly because of the global financial downturn. FIFA looking at empty seats FIFA is investigating why a section of seats in the Soccer City stadium was unoccupied during the World Cup opening match between South Africa and Mexico. “There was one block that looked empty and our people in ticketing are looking into it,” FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Saturday. The upper tier section of around 200 seats was filled by tournament volunteers later in Friday's match, which ended 1-1. FIFA said 84,490 people attended at Soccer City - a record for one of its matches in Africa. All tickets were sold for Saturday's matches between England and the US at the 45,000-capacity Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, and at 62,500-capacity Ellis Park in Johannesburg where Argentina faced Nigeria, FIFA said. Around 3,000 tickets were still available early Saturday to see South Korea face Greece at the 46,000-capacity Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth.
