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Two-thirds of World Cup tickets already sold

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - More than two-thirds of the three million tickets for the football World Cup have been sold, organisers said on Wednesday as they unveiled a scheme to make it easier for South Africans to buy tickets.

"We are particularly happy with the results of ticket sales," World Cup boss Danny Jordaan told reporters. "We are over the moon."

Jordaan had voiced concerns that few local fans were buying tickets for the first ever World Cup on African soil, which kicks off on June 11.

But he said about half the tickets sold so far have gone to South Africans, and announced a simplified sales regime for local fans in the coming months.

Among overseas fans, the United States led ticket sales, followed by Britain and Australia.

The next round of ticket sales will run from February 9 to April 7.

South Africans, who currently have to buy tickets online or at bank branches, will from April 15 be able to purchase them over the counter at kiosks in each of the nine host cities, Jordaan said.

FIFA has arranged for discounted tickets for South Africans, but internet access remains a luxury here while travelling to bank branches can be expensive for ordinary fans in a country with little public transportation.

The football governing body's chief Jerome Valcke also lashed out at negative international media reports questioning the country's ability to deliver a world-class tournament, blaming British and German media in particular.

"Don't kill the World Cup before it starts, give South Africa a chance. It's unfair and it's really sad. Give South Africa a chance to organise a great World Cup," he said.