WORLD CUP 2010 TICKETS Q&A: How much, where to buy… and what if my team doesn't make it?

It may be 475 days until the World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg, but tickets went on sale at 11am today.

• Don’t worry. Tickets are not sold on a first come, first serve basis just yet. They will be sold in five batches and, this time, it makes no difference whether you apply today or March 31, when this phase closes.
• A draw will be held on April 15 and everyone who registers has an equal chance of being successful. You just have to apply up until March 31 to be in the hat.
• There are about 3million in total for the 64 matches, and 740,000 are available in this phase.
• It varies depending on the match, from £14 to £633. Group games cost £14-£113 (apart from the showpiece opening match), while tickets for the final cost £106-£633.
• However, the cheapest tickets are reserved for South African nationals. A third are for local fans, a third for international fans, and a third for sponsors, teams and the ‘FIFA family’.
• Each games are has four ticket price categories, which reflect how good the seats are. Category four is reserved for locals. See the table below, prices are in US dollars.
• The only official place to get them at this stage is through the FIFA website. You have to register here. It is different for South African nationals, who can also buy them through the First National Bank.
• You can get up to four tickets per match for up to seven fixtures. You can’t apply for more than one match on the same day.
• As well as individual tickets for the 64 matches, you can apply for a series of tickets to follow the country of your choice. These are valid for anything from three to seven games and, if your team don’t make it, you will get your money back.
• Yes, and more than usual. The 32 countries that make it will be offered 12 per cent of the tickets for their matches in the group stage compared to 8 per cent at Germany 2006. Obviously, these tickets go on sale at a later date.
• There are four more phases. The second is between May 4 and November 16. Later phases are yet to be decided.
• No. Most tickets will be sold through the website, but not all. And in the next phase it is a first come, first served process.
• Almost certainly. South Africa is bracing itself for 400,000 visitors, with games being played in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Rustenburg.
• Er, no.