FIFA acts to prevent sponsors not using seats at 2014 World Cup in Brazil

LONDON – FIFA will try to minimize empty seats at the 2014 World Cup by taking measures to ensure sponsors use their allocation or lose them.

There were large blocks of empty seats at some stadiums at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and this year's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil notes at the Leaders in Football conference that sponsors would have to name the people using tickets two or three days before matches in Brazil.

Weil wants to ensure corporate partners "cannot just say the people will come and then nobody comes."

He says tickets will only be handed out on the day of the game.