Tickets for the 2012 Olympic Games in London are set to go on sale on March 15, chairman of the organising committee Sebastian Coe has announced.

Sports fans will have six weeks – from March 15 to April 26 – to apply for the 6.6 million public tickets. They can apply at any time in that period before oversubscribed events are allocated by ballot.

“On 15 March, the application process opens to be part of the greatest show on earth,” Coe said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the world’s greatest athletes going for gold in the UK – a chance for people to see their favourite sport and perhaps try a new one.”

Two million people have so far registered interest in buying tickets, which are priced from £20 pounds to £725.

The Games will run from July 27 to August 12 next year.