Cape Town would rather host Manchester United than African sides - a decision the Mother City says is based on costs and popularity.

Cape Town councillor Grant Pascoe said staging the Africa Cup of Nations would have cost R20-million, but bringing the English Premier League giants to the city would cost "less than R7-million and still make money". United will play Amazulu at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on July 18 and take on Ajax Cape Town on July 21 at the 2010 World Cup stadium in Green Point.

"Man U will probably travel with about 100 foreign media and they will be broadcasting live, even though this is a friendly," Pascoe said.

"And that puts us on the map. We probably got a bargain. If Durban is spending R7-million ... we will spend less and still make some revenue."

He hit back at the SA Football Association and the Afcon organising committee for poor communication regarding the Nations Cup, to be staged in South Africa next year.

"The questions we asked [them] were never answered," he said.

Tickets for both Man U games will range from R150 to R350.