Sales are lagging demand in Germany four years ago, but FIFA said this was understandable given the distance fans from Europe, home to many of the teams, had to travel.
The sport's governing body said 1.2 million applications were received for tickets from 192 countries during the third phase of sales that ended last week, bringing applications to about two million for the total of three million seats.
"Since the draw (on December 4), we have seen a flurry in terms of ticket sales ... the sales have gone very well, we are extremely delighted," Danny Jordaan, CEO of the local organising committee said.
FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke said a shortage of flights to South Africa and their high cost was a problem but he and Jordaan condemned media reports slating the host country's high levels of crime, and accommodation and transport problems.
"It's sad that every morning when you wake up people are saying you should not go to South Africa ... it's insane and it is completely wrong," Valcke said, referring to recent reports particularly in England and Germany.
"Where can we organise the World Cup? On the moon? Where there is no-one?" he asked. "Don't kill the World Cup before the World Cup has taken place."
The country has one of the world's highest rates of violent crime, with 50 murders a day, more than the United States which has six times the population.
"Some things that you read have no basis in reality anywhere. We are happy where we are. The teams are happy where they are, they are coming," he said.
