Online ticket sales in South Korea and Japan for the 2002 World Cup will be delayed two to three days. FIFA, soccer's world governing body, cites technical problems.

Fans were supposed to be able to begin submitting ticket applications over the Internet Thursday. But technical problems occurred in both countries just one hour before the sales were to start.

The problems prompted FIFA officials to stop Internet sales, but fans will not miss out on a chance to receive tickets since they can still submit ticket requests on paper.

FIFA will accept requests for team-specific tickets, which will guarantee seats at all games of a specific team. If that team fails to qualify, FIFA will give refunds, subtracting a handling fee.

Prices range from 198 U.S. dollars for three first-round games to 2,448 dollars for the best seats at seven games... the most one nation can play.

Tickets for individual games, which go on sale later, range from 60 dollars to 750 dollars.

The tickets can be ordered on the Internet or by telephone. FIFA will accept four applications per household. Applications will be accepted until April 30th and will be entered into a random draw.