Application Denied!

Bad news sports fans. Michael Jackson has passed AND we were denied tickets for the match we requested:


Further to your application for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Tickets. We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ second sales phase commenced on 4th May 2009 and concludes on 16th November 2009. If you wish to re-apply during the second sales phase, please visit FIFA.com via the link provided within this communication and submit a new application for tickets. Applications during the second sales phase will be processed, subject to availability, on a first-come-first-served basis (in the order of receipt).

For your information alternative Ticket products are also available in Official Hospitality Packages from MATCH Hospitality and Authorised Travel Packages sold for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ by Participating Tour Operators. Please refer to FIFA.com.


Two things here stand out that we should keep in mind as we continue in our quixotic quest for World Cup Tickets:

(1) At no point in this ‘apology’ from Fifa is there an explanation why we were denied. I fail to see the point in re-applying for tickets through Fifa.com if for all we know it is hopeless. Reapplying via Fifa.com would be like – as is now well recited – insane: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Therefore, it is my estimation that we explore other avenues, which brings me to the second salient item from the apology:
(2) Ticket ‘products’ are available through “MATCH Hospitality” and “Authorised Travel Packages”. This would indicate there is still hope. Additionally, a travel package may mean a better deal overall for our group. No promises, of course, but this is something that should at least be explored. I shall follow up with an update on this option soon…