Local Organising Committee (LOC) CEO Dr Danny Jordaan has "no doubt" that South Africa's preparations for the FIFA World Cup - about 100 days away - are going according to plan and that all tickets will be sold.

"We are comfortable with the preparations so far," he told Engineering News Online on the sidelines of a media tour at Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, which will host five first-round matches and a semifinal game.

In preparation for the soccer event, the Royal Bafokeng stadium has increased its capacity from 39 000 to 44 389 and now boasts 24 suites, new electronic scoreboards, floodlights and a public address system.

Jordaan said the LOC was still finalising agreements to ensure that enough electricity would be available and that information and communication technology (ICT) would be ready for the event, which starts on June 11.

His comments came amidst concerns about pitch of the Mbombela stadium, in Mpumalanga, but LOC and FIFA officials insisted that the venue would be ready for the World Cup.

Last year, FIFA advised the municipality to remove the pitch's grass, as it did not meet the required standards. Three attempts have been made to lay the pitch, but without success.

It will take about six to eight weeks to grow the pitch and at the moment it is ready for seeding.

"We did not want a good pitch, but the greatest one that will conform to all world standards," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.

Jordaan pointed out that the Mbombela stadium was new, which gives it flexibility and the opportunity to continue with uninterrupted work to ensure that it was ready for the event.

Eight teams have been approached to play their Nedbank Cup or Telkom Cup games at the venue to test the quality of the pitch.

Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza said that the new Mbombela stadium used 100% local content and that it had experienced no cost escalations.

TICKET SALES

Meanwhile, Jordaan said that the LOC was confident that all the tickets for the soccer World Cup games would be sold, as 2,2-million of the 2,9-million had been purchased.

Mangaung mayor Playfair Morule said that it would be buying 50 000 tickets of the remaining 700 000 tickets to "reward its football supporters".

The tickets would be divided between Bloemfontein Celtics supporters, schools and other residents of Mangaung.

"As a host city, we are ready to deliver a successful FIFA event come June 2010. For those who witnessed the hosting of the FIFA Confederations Cup, last year, I am sure there is no doubt in anybody's mind that the fans created the most electric atmosphere, one can ever find at a stadium, in their own unique way," Morule told journalists at the weekend on the media road show.

He said that the fans would be on hand to support Japan and Cameroon on June 14, in Bloemfontein. Nigeria, Greece, Slovakia, Paraguay, Honduras, Switzerland, France and South Africa are all scheduled to play in Bloemfontein.

Morule also said that a number of roads that were currently under construction would be completed before the tournament. "The infrastructure maintenance teams are implementing their maintenance programmes to guarantee reliable and uninterruptable supply of key services such as water and electricity."

He added that considering the current booking statistics and the number of beds available, the city, together with its neighbouring towns, had enough accommodation to cater for the needs of its visitors.