SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Costa Ricans have complained to World Cup organizers that they were overcharged for their game tickets by travel agencies, and in some cases given cheaper seats.

The Costa Rican Soccer Federation has issued 13,800 tickets directly or through travel agencies.

Lawyer Elias Soley Gutierrez was quoted in La Nacion newspaper Wednesday saying that he had paid euro300 (US$385) for Category 1 tickets for Costa Rica's opening match against host Germany on June 9, but had received Category 2 tickets worth euro180 (US$231).

Soley could not be reached by The Associated Press for further comment. Employees at several travel agencies declined to comment.

Many have complained about travel agencies tacking on an additional cost of US$26 (euro20), and in some cases agencies allegedly overcharged people 110 percent for their tickets when they were part of a package trip, La Nacion reported.

Jose Ulate Bolanos told La Nacion that he paid US$1,100 (euro855) for three tickets, which should have cost US$402 (euro312), according to FIFA's listed prices.

Costa Rican soccer federation president Hermes Navarro, who is in Barcelona, Spain, said he had no explanation for the price differences.

But he said travel agencies are allowed to tack on the US$26 fee under a 2002 agreement with FIFA.

Costa Rica, which will be making its third trip to the World Cup, is Central America's lone World Cup qualifier.