Lagos — Five Nigerians were at the weekend ushered into the world of those that will be in the stadiums of South Africa when the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup kick off next month. These Nigerians will be watching the matches in addition to enjoying other benefits for free, courtesy of Africa Sports Tourism Company (ASTC), a company that is promoting tourism through the instrumentality of sports.

The lucky Nigerians emerged during the first draw the company did to promote the event via sales of a N500 worth of ticket for the exercise.

With the first set of winners, there are still 45 persons to be picked in the next three draws in order to complete the list of 50 Nigerians that would benefit from the all-expenses paid trip.

ASTC has included the Confederation Cup matches as part of benefits for the holiday of a life-time as a means of boosting the number spectators who would witness the live matches in view of the poor ticket sales in respect of the matches. Among the lucky winners would be beneficiaries of three-star accommodations, two-day tour of tourist locations such as Nelson Mendela's house in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum, Sun City, Hector Peterson Square, among others.

The sales of the ticket for the draws at the Lagos branches of four banks - Oceanic Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Skye Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank - will be on till the end of the month (May 31). ASTC says the reason for pushing out the tickets through banks is to prevent fraud.