SWC: Fewer visitors expected

Johannesburg - The chief organiser of the Soccer World Cup in South Africa, Danny Jordaan, said on Thursday the current tally of foreign fans attending the tournament stood at between 100 000 and 200 000 - less than half of the original forecast of 450 000.

"We are way over 100 000 fans here, maybe 200 000 now," World Cup local organising committee chief executive Jordaan told reporters at a World Cup ticketing centre in Johannesburg, as tickets went on sale over the counter around the country.

With under two months to go to kick-off in Johannesburg on June 11, tour operators say they don't expect many more foreign fans to sign up for the trip to South Africa.

"Reality in the world has changed," Jordaan said.

The global economic crisis had affected Britain and Germany, two of the biggest habitual sources of World Cup tourists, "in a major way," he pointed out.

"For the first time banks were collapsing," he said.

But Jordaan remains upbeat.

"I still think we can get to 300 000 (foreign fans)," he said.

"If England gets into the knock-out stages and the quarter-final, you will see a second flood of fans arriving in this country," he predicted.

FIFA has admitted that ticket sales to European fans particularly has been disappointing.

Of the 2.2 million tickets sold to date before the latest ticket phase began on Thursday, Germans, who are normally among the most enthusiastic supporters, have bought only 32 269 tickets.

British fans have bought 67 654 tickets, while South Africans have bought nearly one million.