FIFA ticketing scandal growing

The Observer takes a serious look at the World Cup ticketing problems this summer and finds that corporations are getting a enormous number of match tickets at the expense of fans. McDonald's with 25,000 tickets?

Fifa's policy benefits sponsors and the wealthy but short-changes those fans who are the game's lifeblood. Today Observer Sport starts a campaign for change by exposing the full extent of the ticketing scandal.

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...even Franz Beckenbauer, president of the 2006 Organising Committee, accepts that there is a major problem. Earlier this month he delivered an upbeat assessment of the tournament before admitting: 'But there is still one fly in the ointment. Ticketing. Nowhere is the number of tickets distributed adequate to meet demand, especially among our immediate neighbours.' Dutch, Swedish and Polish fans are as upset as those following England.