SAO PAULO (AP) Nearly 900,000 tickets were allocated to fans from 188 countries in the random selection draw for the 2014 World Cup, the highest number ever in the first phase of sales, according to FIFA.
FIFA said Tuesday that Brazilians received 625,276 of the 889,305 available tickets. American residents were awarded 66,646 tickets, while the English followed with 22,257 and the Germans with 18,019.
More than 6.2 million tickets were requested, nearly double the amount of total tickets available.
The next stage of sales begins Monday on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans will be allowed to make purchases again beginning on Dec. 8, after the World Cup draw determines where and when each of the 32 teams will play.
Only about 230,000 tickets will be available in the upcoming sales phase, but none for the high demand matches that include the June 12 opener in Sao Paulo, the July 13 final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the two semifinals and all of Brazil's group-stage matches.
