Rio de Janeiro, Aug 21: More than a million requests were received for tickets for the World Cup, as online ticket requests began to be taken for the showpiece football event to be held in Brazil next year.

Xinhua reported that 163,000 people applied online for tickets Tuesday, for the 24-match event, set to begin June 12 next year. The tournament will conclude July 13, 2014.

Fans will have to wait till October to know if they have been selected in a random draw.

The greatest demand was from Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Chile and Britain.

Less than a third of the total 3.3 million tickets for the tournament will be offered in the first stage of sales. Leftover tickets will be sold on first-come, first-served basis Nov 5.

After the World Cup draw is announced Dec 8, another round of ticket sales will begin.

IANS