Rugby World Cup tickets in high demand

Ticket applications for next year’s Rugby World Cup open at 9am tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

Rugby World Cup organisers say more than 50,000 fans from 100 countries have pre-registered ahead of tomorrow's opening of on-line ticket applications.

This includes 20,000 overseas fans across the world, living in countries such as Barbados, Botswana, China, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, Iceland, Mongolia, Mauritius, Norway, Puerto Rico and Qatar.

About 30,000 New Zealand fans have also pre-registered, organisers said in a statement.

The bulk of fans outside New Zealand come from the UK, Australia, Ireland, France, United States, South Africa and Canada.

Ticket applications open online at 9am (NZ time) tomorrow and close on May 21.

"This is a fantastic response and shows how popular Rugby World Cup has become around the world," said Martin Snedden, chief executive for the tournament organiser, Rugby New Zealand 2011.

"The rest of the world knows that RWC 2011 is going to be a special event so I urge Kiwi fans to take advantage of this first phase of ticketing."

The strong initial interest from global fans underlines news last week that 85,000 tickets have been sold already through official travel packages.

One official travel agent in England reported sales nearly 40 per cent up on those over the same period for the 2007 tournament in France.

Snedden said the first phase of ticketing was the best chance for fans to secure the seats they want.

"Tomorrow will be a special day for fans. This is the day fans can really embrace RWC 2011 and decide just how they are going to take part in what will be the biggest sporting event this country has seen."

Tomorrow also marks 500 days until the opening match between hosts New Zealand and Tonga at Auckland's redeveloped Eden Park, which is due to reopen ahead of schedule later this year.

The Webb Ellis Cup will be on show in Wellington to mark the occasion.

"We hope fans take the opportunity to get up close to rugby's greatest prize and take away a wonderful memory," Snedden said.

- NZPA