Up to now, tickets could only be bought on the internet - unavailable to most poor fans - or by filling in forms at selected banks, provoking criticism that it was too complicated to attract the main body of South African football supporters, many of whom do not have bank accounts.
Local fans are also unaccustomed to booking tickets in advance, usually buying unnumbered seats at the match. Chief organiser Danny Jordaan last week complained about apathy over Africa's biggest ever sporting event, saying it would be the first time in the history of the tournament that the host nation's team would not top the demand for tickets.
"We are definitely in the process of changing this and as a member of the ticketing committee, I am confident that FIFA will understand our position," he told the government news agency BuaNews after acknowledging that local fans had become frustrated with the current system.
