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Ghana football fans have shown to the world that they are passionate about the game and have ranked highest among African supporters who are going to the World Cup, Fifa has revealed.
Black Stars supporters have even outnumbered richer and bigger countries like France and Nigeria, the world governing body has revealed.
This is a big boost for the Black Stars who now know that they are guaranteed of full support during the tournament.
The stunning revelation has boost the standing of Ghanaian football and supporters in the eyes of Fifa who are seeking to boost attendances at the matches next month.
“In Africa, the first country purchaser of tickets is Ghana with 8700 tickets. Follows Côte d'Ivoire 6000. Algeria 4300," said Jerome Valcke, the general secretary of FIFA.
South African fans will be fewer in the stadiums to support their teams during the soccer World Cup in South Africa, the first held on the continent, Fifa said.
The problems of Internet bookings, which a small part of the African population has access, ticket prices too high, but air transport is expensive and impractical the main reasons for this disaffection, he said.
"To get to South Africa from Kinshasa or from Lome, one must pass through Paris," laments Jerome Valcke, for whom one must ensure that all South America can easily go to 2014 World Brazil.
He said the charter will be put in place to reach South Africa directly to supporters of the African countries qualified for the competition, such as Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Nigeria and Algeria.
"The Algerian government will finance charter to take his fans directly in South Africa," he said adding that for other countries, negotiations were underway.
The first buyers of tickets are Americans with 110,000 tickets booked, followed by the British with 97,000 tickets, Australians and Germans respectively 43,000 and 40,000 tickets.
The French have booked only 4,000.