Johannesburg  - Tickets for the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa go on sale Friday 475 days before kick-off in the opening game on June 11 next year.

The tickets are being sold on the website of world football body FIFA and through South Africa's First National Bank (FNB), a sponsor of the tournament.

Football fans in South Africa can being applying for tickets at FNB branches nationwide at the start of business. Overseas fans can log onto www. fifa. com and begin buying a ticket from 11 am GMT.

This is the first in five phases of ticket sales between now and the World Cup final in Soweto township outside Johannesburg on July 11 next year.

This phase, which runs until March 31, is not on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning aficionados of the beautiful game applying at any time during that period will have an equal chance of scoring a ticket.

Tickets for games that are oversubscribed will be entered into a draw that takes place on April 15.

Supporters who apply for tickets to follow a team that does not qualify for the tournament will be automatically reimbursed.

In total, around 3 million purchasable tickets will be available for the tournament, which is being held for the first time on the African continent. Some 740,000 tickets are up for grabs from Friday.

The actual tickets, which range in price from 80 dollars to 900 dollars for international visitors, will only be available for collection from April 2010, in South Africa.

All the cheapest category-four tickets are reserved for South African residents.

Overseas fans have to pay their tickets online using a credit card in dollars. South Africans can pay for theirs in rands using cash, cheque or bank transfer.

FIFA is hoping around 450,000 fans will travel to the tournament. (dpa)