FIFA increased its income after the announcement that the Soccer World Cup tournament would be held in South Africa.

FIFA increased its income after the announcement that the Soccer World Cup tournament would be held in South Africa.

Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke confirmed this at the announcement in Randburg yesterday that specialised courts were being set up for the Cup.

Fifty-six courtrooms have been allocated across the country to deal with any World Cup-related offences at a cost of R2,2million.

Valcke said: "I would like to thank you for having done this. It has been said that Fifa is all about money, that we are a bad institution asking for this and that, but our main aim is to protect football. All the money we make comes from the World Cup and our income has increased between 2006 in Germany and 2010 in South Africa."

Valcke said the decision to host the tournament in Africa had been a commercial success.

"I was amazed to find that 9million tourists come to South Africa every year and return home safely. Hopefully these specialised courts will not have to work at all."

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Jeff Hadebe said all the stops had been pulled out to ensure that the judiciary fast-tracks the prosecution of any foreigners who commit crimes.

"This will complement the other efforts we have made to deal with global threats such as drug and human trafficking, theft, violence, abuse and, more specifically, hooliganism in and around stadiums," he said.

The courts will operate from 7.30am to 11pm, seven days a week. The staff includes 93 foreign language interpreters, 260 prosecutors, 110 magistrates and 110 Legal Aid Board lawyers.