Martin Snedden has announced the ticketing policy for the 2011 Rugby World Cup © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: World Cup tickets in high demand

News: Rugby World Cup host centres revealed

News: Rugby World Cup ticket prices unveiled

The East Terrace: New Zealand strive for financial security

News: Estimated World Cup losses hit NZ.3m

Players/Officials: Martin Snedden

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: New Zealand

Tickets for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand will go on sale on April 27, 500 days before the start of the tournament.

Fans will be able to purchase tickets in three different ways, with 'venue packs' and 'pool packs', likely to be limited to 2000 to 3000 for each team, available for those wishing to follow their side. Tournament organisers have faced criticism for the pricing of tickets given the economic climate, but chief Martin Snedden is hopeful that the tournament will remain an attractive prospect.

The highest priced venue pack is NZ$1720 for five pool fixtures in Auckland, including the All Blacks against Tonga and against France, while NZ$1400 will secure tickets for the All Blacks' four pool games. Single ticket prices, announced in December 2009, start at NZ$15 for children and NZ$30 for adults for pool games. A ticket for the final will set you back something in the region of NZ$390 to NZ$1250.

"This is the day that fans from London to Pretoria, from Moscow to Buenos Aires, from right around the world can look forward to turning their rugby World Cup dreams into fantastic memories," Snedden said. "Today, we are asking rugby fans to come to New Zealand to experience the best rugby, our united culture and natural heritage, and enjoy our great Kiwi hospitality. To New Zealanders, we say, 'You gotta be there' for this truly memorable event."

Under phase one of the ticket release plan, which closes on May 21, 750,000 tickets will be issued, with fans also having the option of adding a quarter-final pack for Wellington and Christchurch and tickets to the third-fourth playoff in their application.

Phase two will likely run from August to September and see tickets released for individual games, excluding the semi-finals and final at Auckland's Eden Park, which will be decided by ballot in phase three.