Franz Beckenbauer, the president of the German Organising Committee for the World Cup Finals next summer, has spoken about the problems the Committee faces with the soaring demand for World Cup Tickets.

Beckenbauer told reporters that he was hoping some of the world’s poorer countries that have qualified for the World Cup would return some of their allocated tickets. However no Football Association has announced that it would return any unsold tickets, as there has been soaring demand.

About 250,000 tickets are up for grabs until January the 15th, but ticket applications exceed 100,000 each day. This batch of tickets has been many times over-subscribed and a ballot will be held on the 31st of January to decide the lucky fans who will get the magic papers with their name written on them.

Beckenbauer insisted that any fans whose ticket does not have their name printed on will not be able to get into the Stadiums. He added that there will be many identity checkpoints on the way to the Stadiums. No one will be admitted in if the details held on a tiny microchip attached to each ticket do not match with his passport or identity details.

"The problem with tickets will be with us right up until the referee blows the whistle for the start of the final," organising committee president Franz Beckenbauer said at a New Year reception on Friday."

"I thought, for example, that Angola, after a long civil war, and with the huge costs involved, might give back some tickets, but nothing. Everyone wants more tickets."

"I hope we can work in peace over the last few months. We don’t want another spanner in the works," Beckenbauer added, referring to the Germany’s Consumer Association decision that the service charge for those who have applied but failed to get drawn for a ticket.

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