ITV soccer commentator Robbie Earle, an English-born ex-soccer star who played for Jamaica, this week was fired from his position after he resold a block of the network’s corporate hospitality World Cup tickets, which were intended for friends and family of ITV staff.

The sale was discovered during the Holland vs. Denmark match of World Cup on Monday, June 14. Before half time, officials became suspicious when a group of women, wearing identical orange dresses and sitting close to the front, gained attention from fans and TV cameras while they stood and cheered loudly.

World Football Federation FIFA said Tuesday that it had received 506,000 online applications for World Cup 2010 tickets. The applications came from 140 countries around the world, suggesting this could be one of the most lucrative World Cups ever, despite the global recession. South Africa sent the most applications, closely followed by Great Britain, USA, Germany, Brazil and Australia. Not surprisingly, FIFA officials remain confident this world soccer climax will enjoy its usual fanfare.

"The footballing public are a very peculiar group and they might not be too bothered about the global recession or even losing their jobs to go and follow their teams at the World Cup," Chairman of FIFA’s World Cup Ticketing Committee David Will told reporters in a media briefing. "It is our aim to sell every ticket in every stadium for every match."

By Christine Paluf

FIFA Vice President Jack Warner, is being investigated for alleged ticket sales of nearly $1 million during the World Cup, according to the Associated Press. Soccer’s governing body will look into the black market sale of thousands of tickets, including 900 to England fans, the AP released today.

Britain’ Daily Mail reported that confidential reports from FIFA auditors Ernst and Young show that Warner made at least $933,000 trading in World Cup tickets.