Cape Town - A total of 16 000 2010 FIFA World Cup™ tickets have been made available to excited soccer fans in the form of a competition. First National Bank (FNB) has unveiled the 2010 FIFA World Cup Promotion which will see 16 000 South Africans win tickets for the tournament’s 64 games.

"FNB is passing on their sponsorship benefits to qualifying and active FNB customers. [They will be] included in 12 lucky-draws to win double tickets to the continent’s most anticipated sporting event ever," said FNB Chief Executive Officer Michael Jordaan.

FNB is the official National Supporter of the world cup through its $30 million sponsorship of the event. The sponsorship entitles the bank to a package of rights and benefits that include access to match tickets to the tournament as well as to the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009.

If you happen to get a sms from Lucas Radebe, don’t be shocked - the soccer player is part of the drive to educate the public about FNB’s offer. The ex-Bafana Bafana and Leeds United captain is expected to send personal SMSes to millions of FNB’s inContact (SMS alerts) customers explaining the promotion to them.

All one has to do to qualify for entry into the draw is hold any one of a number of FNB’s qualifying banking products. These accounts include deposit, loan, credit, transactional, investment and home loan products, as well as membership of eBucks, FNB’s rewards programme among others.

FNB customers are automatically entered into each of the 12 draws for the next three years if they hold an active qualifying product. There are no registration costs. The competition will run concurrently with the bank’s "LearntoScore" internal campaign, which will issue 3 000 tickets to FNB staff.

The internal competition has already produced 400 ticket winners, among them Etienne Muteba, a Key Account Manager at FNB online. He was able to secure himself double tickets to the final match of the world cup

At least 1 000 tickets will be up for grabs by February next year when the first FNB promotion draw takes place. The football world will by then already know the outcome of the preliminary draw results to be announced in Durban next month.

According to 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer Dr Danny Jordaan, FNB’s initiative will maintain the upbeat momentum that is expected to develop out of the 25 November draw announcement.

"Once these preliminary results are made public, the tournament will take on greater significance to the world’s soccer fraternity. "FNB’s campaign ensures that South Africans too are guaranteed a part of this action, and rightfully so, as the host nation for this mammoth event," said Mr Jordaan. The Preliminary Draw will be the first global world cup event on South African soil.

Qualifying for the world cup in South Africa has attracted a record total of 205 nations and about 3 000 local and international guests, all aiming to ensure a spot at the showcase tournament. The world cup will see 64 matches being played in nine cities between 11 June and 11 July 2010. Source : BuaNews