Manchester United match tickets snapped up

THE eThekwini Municipality will host the 2013 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) draw in October, it was confirmed yesterday and Durban fans of Manchester United snapped up almost half of the tickets for the team’s visit to the city next month – just three days after they went on sale.

Municipal spokesman Thabo Mofokeng said the city was informed late last week that its bid to host the draw had been successful.

“We will now meet the local organising committee and all the stakeholders,” he said.

While the cost of the draw has not been finalised, deputy Health and Social Services manager Musa Gumede said the cost would be split between the city and the province.

Durban will pay R20 million to host the Afcon tournament scheduled to run from January 19 to February 10.

The province will pay a further R14m, and the national government will foot the remainder of the bill with Afcon’s local organising committee (LOC).

And while the Manchester United match tickets are selling fast, the city’s ratepayers will still have to pay R1.3m for the Red Devil’s visit to the city.

The event, to be played on July 18, on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, will see the English Premier League club and the most supported team in the world play AmaZulu.

John McCarthy, of Warwick Hospitality and Events, said 22 318 tickets had been sold for the Durban leg of the tour by midday yesterday. Ticket prices range between R150 and R350.

A further 2 794 open training session tickets, which retail at R20 had been sold.

“The tickets are selling fast and we have about 30 000 more tickets left for Durban,” he said.

AmaZulu spokesman, Philani Mabaso, said the team was more than prepared to take on Sir Alex Ferguson’s boys.

“Ideally the supporters and players would like to see Man United’s best players coming down to the country, but we are well aware that most of their players are involved in the current Euro competition and they probably won’t be able to travel with the team,” Mabaso said.