World Cup Organizers Agree to Ticket Booking Fee Refund

The Organizing Committee (OK) agreed on Tuesday to refund the unpopular five euro ($5.99) booking fee for tickets following a legal challenge from Germany's consumer association.

The fee, which didn't ensure that the applicant would actually get a ticket in the complicated and arbitrary allocation process, will be returned to those fans who are unsuccessful in their quest for tickets to next year's finals.

The payment was announced along with an extra sales phase for the 2006 World Cup which gave supporters the opportunity to apply for any returned tickets from national associations, sponsors or partners by putting their names on a waiting list.

Fans had to pay the booking fee and the ticket price up front, with only the ticket charge being refundable in the case of an unsuccessful application.

Consumer group's lawsuit avoided by compromise

While upsetting some applicants, Germany's consumer association took an even dimmer view and launched a legal challenge which was due to be heard in a Frankfurt court later this month.

But after talks on Tuesday, the OK and the consumer association came to an agreement that refunds, for the ticket money and the service charge, would be given to applicants who did not receive tickets by April 15.

The OK still faces a similar challenge from the European Commission which is investigating complaints about the way the conditional tickets are being sold.

Ticket offers for the World Cup, which begins on June 9 and runs until July 9, have been massively oversubscribed. The final main sales window is open until January 15, with 250,000 tickets on offer. A ballot will then decide which fans secure seats.