JOHANNESBURG, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Tickets for the 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will likely go on sale in 2009, an official with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) said on Tuesday.

    Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the LOC, said more than 3 million tickets will be available, while no more than one third of which will be provided to local fans.

    Addressing a conference in Johannesburg on the readiness of the accommodation industry for the tournament, Jordaan said the first step for teams to qualify to play in the World Cup will be taken when the preliminary draw takes place in Durban in November.

    A total of 202 countries and regions were expected to take part in the draw. South Africa as host country qualifies automatically.

    "It would be the first opportunity to show what we are going to deliver in 2010," Jordaan said.

    Highlighting the fact that the 2010 World Cup had already generated more than 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, Jordaan said the South African event had already become the highest revenue earner in World Cup history.

    He said the soil turning ceremony for the construction of the last of five new stadiums would take place in Polokwane, capital of Limpopo Province, on Friday.

    "We have thus delivered on our promise to the world to start construction in the first half of this year," he said.