Johannesburg - South African Tourism gave world football body FIFA the red card over accommodation for the 2010 World Cup, accusing the FIFA-appointed booking agency of bullying small hotels and Bed and breakfasts on pricing, the Business Day newspaper reported.

SA Tourism on Monday resigned in protest from the advisory committe of Match, the FIFA-appointed agency that is organizing ticketing and accommodation for the tournament.

SA Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola said he had received numerous complaints from tourism operators about alleged attempts by Match to force smaller independent hotels and B+Bs to provide rooms for the World Cup at Match rates.

Such complaints against Match have been swirling for months. The Tourism Business Council has accused those hotels that have not come to the table of being greedy.

"We do not expect owners to sign with Match on less than favourable terms," Mosola said.

Match is looking to contract 55,000 rooms for the World Cup, being staged for the first time in Africa in 2010. By May, it had secured 35,000 rooms, according to Business Day.

Match was not immediately available for comment. (dpa)