Only Random World Cup Checks

Few fans attending the World Cup will have their ticket and passport checked before going into matches, after the German tournament organisers accepted that such a policy could create major security problems.

Only around 10 per cent of fans entering stadiums will face random spot-checks to see if the name on their ticket matches their passport, despite previous pledges to vet all spectators.

‘The intention is that it’s 10 per cent, not 100 per cent, who get checked,’ said a key British official involved in ensuring England fans do not cause problems. ‘If you turn up early you’ll probably face a check, but if you turn up not long before kick-off, as England fans usually do, there’s little chance.’

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has criticised the German authorities for risking ‘half-empty stadiums’ by pursuing their planned rigorous ticket-checking. Meanwhile, 42,000 more World Cup tickets have gone on sale after the tournament’s 15 sponsors decided not to take up their full allocation of 25,000 seats each spread across the 64 games. Fans on the waiting list for tickets will be offered the extra seats first, but some will be put on sale through fifaworldcup.com. All the tickets are expected to be in the highest price category, so will cost €100 (£70) for groupstage matches.

Only two Arsenal fans were arrested for public-order offences in Paris at last week’s Champions League final against Barcelona, boosting hopes that England supporters will be well behaved at the World Cup. ‘Given that 30,000 to 40,000 Arsenal fans went to Paris, that is excellent news and, hopefully, an omen for the World Cup,’ said a senior Home Office source. ‘Even if you include the few who were detained for ticketing offences, it was still only a small handful.’

Manchester United’s owner Malcolm Glazer is back in hospital after suffering his second stroke since 16 April. Joel, one of his three sons who help run United, said that the 77-year-old entrepreneur’s life is not at risk and that he is expected to return to his Florida home in the next few weeks.

Crystal Palace will hold a press conference tomorrow in the wake of reports of a rift between manager Iain Dowie and chairman Simon Jordan. Dowie is reportedly keen to talk to south London neighbours Charlton about their managerial vacancy, and he has also been linked with Middlesbrough and Preston, whose manager Billy Davies has already been given permission to speak to Charlton.

Andriy Shevchenko, who is wanted by Chelsea, will make a decision about his future at AC Milanthis week. The Ukraine forward is under contract until 2009 and has been offered a two-year extension. He is on a pre-World Cup holiday in France but will hold talks with the Milan board at its conclusion. ‘I am evaluating the offer. I will return to Italy on Wednesday or Thursday and meet them very soon,’ he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Dietmar Hamann has quit international football after being left out of Germany’s World Cup squad. The 32-year-old Liverpool midfielder won 59 caps and played in the 2002 World Cup final. His five goals included the winner against England in the last game at the old Wembley, in 2000.

Fresh doubts have surfaced about when the new Wembley will be ready. The Football League have provisionally booked Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium for next February’s League Cup final in case the London venue is still not finished.

John Barnwell, chief executive of the League Managers Association, has received the ‘absolute support’ of the organisation’s management committee in the wake of the row over the appointment of Glenn Roeder as Newcastlemanager.