FIFA defends World Cup ticketing plan

FIFA CLAIM its ticketing policy is the right one, insisting that sales or distribution of tickets should “never” be done at a stadium on a matchday to avoid scenes like the one at the Makhulong Stadium on Sunday.

Sixteen people, including two police officers, were injured when a stampede occurred at the Johannesburg ground where fans were trying to get in to watch Nigeria take on North Korea in a pre-World Cup friendly – a match where the 10,000 tickets were free.

The incident happened just days before the start of the global spectacle, set to kick off when hosts South Africa face Mexico at Soccer City on Friday.