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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>South Africa go to London in search of bigger crowds</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER type="block" width="1" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=ysptimedate></SPAN>
JOHANNESBURG, Oct 10 (Reuters) - South Africa are to play a friendly international against African champions Egypt in London next month because they believe they will attract a bigger crowd than if they played at home.
South African Football Association chief executive officer Raymond Hack told Johannesburg's Star newspaper on Tuesday the match had been scheduled for Nov. 15.
"It's a decision we took based on what happened in our last match against Congo when we attracted about 6000 fans," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "We can do better in London."
A long running dip in form has seen attendance at home games decline but South Africa have also played just one of their 10 internationals this year at home.
Hack's statement will reinforce concerns over ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup finals, given generally low attendances for all forms of football in the country.
Hack did not gives details of the venue for the match, but several internationals African sides in recent years have been played at Brentford's Griffin Park and at Loftus Road, home of Queen's Park Rangers.
<P align=right><SPAN class=ysptimedate>Updated on Tuesday, Oct 10, 2006 8</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
JOHANNESBURG, Oct 10 (Reuters) - South Africa are to play a friendly international against African champions Egypt in London next month because they believe they will attract a bigger crowd than if they played at home.
South African Football Association chief executive officer Raymond Hack told Johannesburg's Star newspaper on Tuesday the match had been scheduled for Nov. 15.
"It's a decision we took based on what happened in our last match against Congo when we attracted about 6000 fans," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "We can do better in London."
A long running dip in form has seen attendance at home games decline but South Africa have also played just one of their 10 internationals this year at home.
Hack's statement will reinforce concerns over ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup finals, given generally low attendances for all forms of football in the country.
Hack did not gives details of the venue for the match, but several internationals African sides in recent years have been played at Brentford's Griffin Park and at Loftus Road, home of Queen's Park Rangers.
<P align=right><SPAN class=ysptimedate>Updated on Tuesday, Oct 10, 2006 8</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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