The other three teams taking part are AmaZulu FC, a South African club based in Durban, Mamelodi Sundowns FC, a South African club based in Pretoria, and Ghanian champions Asante Kotoko FC.

It is thought the tournament will take place in Durban at the home of AmaZulu FC.

They play at Moses Mabhida Stadium which holds 54,000 people.

The stadium and fixture dates are expected to be confirmed in the next few days.

One is that the away end is moving to the upper tier of the North Stand – rules state there is a higher safety risk because it is steeper than lower tiers – and the other is due to persistent standing.

Mr Scott said: “I would confirm that despite concerns arising from fans over expected heavy-handed tactics from both stewards and police officers, what we actually saw, which came as no surprise to regular attendees at the stadium, was an extremely efficient stewarding and policing operation which, at all times, recognised the heightened excitement and anxiety of the Manchester United fans.

“My personal view is that United fans were very good natured and, from what I could see, well behaved, despite suffering the cruel blow in the form of the last minute news coming through from City.”

He added: “We clearly didn’t get compliance with ground regulation 13 (which relates to sitting down) and, with the exception of a very small group to the front of the stand, all fans stood throughout, despite the planning around the selection of tickets at point of sale and the efforts of both clubs to educate fans in this respect, and so this evidence will obviously impact upon next seasons allocation.

“Next season will also see the relocation of visiting fans to the North Stand and this again will be a factor in overall allocation.

“However, while we may not have achieved success this time, I don’t want to give up on trying to find a solution that works to the benefit of everyone and has an outcome of ensuring compliance with ground regulations and thereby ensuring maximum visiting allocation.

“I’m still convinced that there is a solution to the problem of standing in seated areas other than exclusion of visiting fans, but this would require a commitment from all parties.”

It will take place at the 25,527-capacity Ullevall Stadium, which is three miles north of Oslo city centre.

United’s chief executive David Gill said: “We have fantastic fans in Norway – the Scandanavian Supporters’ Club (MUSSC) is our biggest anywhere in the world with over 40,000 members.

“It’s great to have the chance to play in front of them again.”

United have been allocated 13 blocks in the upper and lower tier of the Benfit Stand, which is behind the goal.

That should be about 5,000 seats.

Tickets in that end will cost £74.10 including booking fees.

Tickets for the other three stands will go on sale to Valerenge season ticket holders on May 21. They will be able to buy six each, but only in person from the club shop.

They will then go on general sale via the link above from May 23 and will cost £74.10 in the stand facing the United end from £84.70 to £95.41 for seats on the halfway line.

Below is a letter template that we would urge you to paste into a word document, add your own details to and email to the UEFA President, Michel Platini at michel.platini@uefa.ch

There is also a request to introduced a new ticketing rule that would oblige all clubs to provide concessionary-price tickets to under 16s and over 65s, as United already do for UEFA-competition games.

Your address and email address

Michel Platini

UEFARoute de Genève
46 Case postale CH-1260
Nyon 2
Switzerland

Wednesday May 2, 2012

Dear Mr Platini,

I wish to raise two issues with you regarding ticket prices in some UEFA competitions,particularly the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, and to appeal to you to make some changes.

First, in the vast majority of games in these competitions, there are no tickets made available at concessionary prices to over 65s, under 16s, students and other groups who are given discounted tickets for games in domestic competitions.

While it is commonplace for English clubs to offer such discounts in UEFA competitions, itis not so for clubs from other countries.

I would appeal to you to change UEFA’s ticketing rules so clubs must offer concessionary prices so more young people and older people can get access to games.

Second, in a UEFA Europa League game between Athletic Club and Manchester United on March 15, 2012, Athletic Club charged Manchester United fans £77.50 each for tickets.

UEFA ticketing rules state the price of tickets for supporters of the visiting team must not exceed the price paid for tickets of a comparable category that are sold to supporters of the home team.

However, Athletic Club exploited a loophole.

While a small proportion of tickets were sold to Athletic Club fans (who were not club members) at £77.50, the vast majority were sold to Athletic Club fans (who were club members) at no more than £25.34.

Athletic Club’s policy is to encourage people to become club members at the start of the season so they get lower ticket prices throughout the season.

It would be absurd to suggest supporters of other clubs should become Athletic Club members at the start of the season in an anticipation of receiving such a discount should their own team play Athletic Club.

I feel this practise is against the spirit of UEFA ticketing rules and would appeal to you to change the rules so visiting supporters do not pay more than 10-per-cent more than members of the host club in comparable areas of the stadium.

That would enable host clubs to still incentivise membership schemes while being much fairer to travelling supporters – many of whom committed to travel to the Athletic Club v Manchester United match before the ticket prices were announced.

Thanks for your time,

Your Name

The council’s building control team grants licences which allow events to be held at the Stadium of Light.

So without the council’s backing, the match cannot take place.

On March 26, the same committee set the allocation at 1,700 tickets.

But its members have relaxed their approach after lobbying from United officials, IMUSA, MUST, Reds Away, the Football Supporters Federation and Stretford End Flags.

Today’s decision means United can now proceed with the ticket ballot.

In the run up to the game, Reds Away is working with the Sports Ground Safety Authority, Sunderland FC, Northumbria Police and United to ensure stewards and police do not treat fans unfairly during the game.

Anyone caught drinking alcohol on the streets in the city centre or en route to the stadium will have it confiscated.

Fans arriving at the ground drunk will not be allowed in.
And those who misbehave at the match could get a football banning order.

MUST and IMUSA representatives met with GMP chiefs on Tuesday to discuss matchday arrangements.

Chief Superintendent John O’Hare said: “As so much rests on this game, emotions will be running high and our main aim is to ensure the game is a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans.

“We will have the appropriate number of officers and resources within the ground and the surrounding areas to both deal with any incidents and offer reassurance to the public.

“The rivalry between the clubs really adds something extra to this fixture and should be embraced, but we must also ensure that this is not used as an excuse by some individuals to become involved in disorder.

“We want fans to enjoy themselves, but at the same time, we want to make it clear to the minority who may be thinking of causing any trouble that we will clamp down hard on them.

“We want people to take responsibility for themselves and drink responsibly.”

He added: “Both Manchester United and Manchester City are supportive of the fact that anyone who is arrested in connection with causing trouble at the derby, runs the risk of being banned from entering their respective clubs again in the future.”

But City have admitted that the starting point was in fact 2,880 because the layout of the stadium, which cost £144 million to build and convert into a football venue, does not allow 3,000 away fans to be admitted safely.

City’s stadium safety manager Peter Fletcher said: “The stadium was built for an athletics event and the entry/exit points, concourse, toilet and refreshment areas and, of course, segregation does not make it possible to offer that full allocation.

“There are a number of grounds where the 3,000 is either just over or just under because of safety management issues.”

Reds Away asked the Premier League if the restriction constituted a breach of the rules.

A Premier League spokesman said: “For health and safety reasons, Manchester City cannot offer a high allocation.

“Health and safety encompasses the situated exit points and takes into consideration things like how many toilets (there are) per stand and catering kiosks for each block. The club are not in breach of the rule.”

Reds Away editor Dale Haslam said: “I can understand away fans’ allocations being reduced on a match-by-match basis as and when safety issues arise.

“But for visiting fans to be punished – even if it is only by 120 tickets – because City play at a stadium designed for athletics is wrong.

“Clearly, there is absolutely nothing visiting fans can do to overcome this unfair restriction and, as a result United season ticket holders are getting less value for money as they have access to fewer away tickets.

“The Premier League should be placing more onus on host clubs to ensure their stadia have the required facilities to offer the correct allocation.”

At the meeting at which the decision was made, Sunderland’s stadium safety manager Paul Weir said police would help stewards make away fans sit down and help throw out fans if they refuse to sit.

No police representative was at the meeting so Reds Away asked them if this was the case.

Chief Superintendent Dave Pryer, of Northumbria Police, will be the matchday commander for the game.

He said: “By way of context we have a good relationship with Sunderland AFC and Northumbria Police always takes a partnership approach to policing football.

“In respect of your question around safety and any concerns, each pre-season we risk assess every fixture with our clubs to ensure we have the appropriate level of policing planned.

“This is subject to review over the course of the season, depending on the conduct of the visiting club as well as the home fans.

“These discussions can take place on a daily basis through dedicated football liaison officers (rather than at formal minuted meetings) and also in pre match briefings between the safety officer and the police commander at the football match.

“On a routine basis police officers are deployed in the south west corner where the away fans are located.

“However for the fixture on May 13 when Manchester United visit there will be extra police officers in this section, specifically at the request of Mr Weir.

“This is to support the stewarding operation and ensure ground regulations are adhered to.

“We work hard with the club to try and make sure all fans coming to football matches can do so in comfort and in a safe environment.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Manchester United and their fans to the city next month for what we’re sure will be a great afternoon of football.”