World Cup organisers to refund ticket service charge

World Cup organisers agreed on Tuesday to refund the five euro ($5.99) fee to fans applying unsuccessfully for returned tickets to next year's finals, following a legal challenge from Germany's consumer association.

An extra sales phase for the 2006 World Cup in Germany gave fans the chance to put their names on a waiting list for any returned tickets from national associations, sponsors or partners.

Those applying had to pay a five euro fee, plus the price of one ticket up front. Unsuccessful applicants were due to get only the ticket charge back after the finals, while the service charge was non-refundable.

Germany's consumer association launched a legal challenge against those conditions of sale and after talks on Tuesday, organisers agreed to refund the ticket money and the service charge to applicants who have received no tickets by Apr. 15.

A Frankfurt court had been due to rule on the challenge this month.

The European Commission is also looking into similar complaints about the way the conditional tickets are being sold.

Ticket offers for the World Cup, which begins on June 9 and runs until July 9, have been massively oversubscribed. The final main sales window is open until Jan. 15, with 250,000 tickets on offer. A ballot will then decide which fans secure seats.