However, MEP Graham Watson called the judgement "a symbolic victory".

The hearing came just five days before the kick off at the Grand Stade

The verdict by the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris came just five days before the start of the tournament at the city's Grand Stade and the MEPs admitted beforehand that it was too late to redistribute the tickets.

But they were hoping for the court to impose a substantial fine on the committee organising the tournament, and for the matter to be referred to the European Court of Justice.

The court said it agreed that the ticket sales were not fairly organised because they favoured residents of France.

It said it could not handle the case because the Euro-MPs were not disadvantaged as they had not tried to buy tickets themselves.

'One-nil down with a penalty'

Mr Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP for Somerset and North Devon, said the parliamentarians, who paid the court costs out of their own pocket, must now decide whether they would pursue the case.

"Clearly they have found against us on a technicality ... at least French justice has recognised that the allocation of the tickets was unfair."

"If we had asked for tickets for ourselves, they could have heard the case, but because we asked for tickets for everyone, they couldn't.

"But they did say in their judgement that the way the CFO organised it infringed the rights of EU citizens in various ways to have fair and equal access to tickets so they've opened the door for anyone to mount a case against the CFO for damages.

Lawyer Philip Jenkinson: "a matter of principle"

"It's infuriating that they won't hear the case on a legal technicality and that we can't get justice for this World Cup but it does leave options for trying to get justice for the future.

"We could appeal to a higher court in France, or take the matter up in other national courts. We have the option to give the ammunition to the European Commission and ask them to take it to the European Court of Justice.

"I would say we are 1-0 down at half time but they've awarded a penalty against the CFO."

Lawyer Philip Jenkinson in Paris for today's hearing

Just one-third of the 2.5 million tickets available were available outside the country hosting the championships.

There was also an international outcry when 160,000 tickets for European fans were sold over special telephone lines manned by only 90 operators and clogged by tens of millions of calls.

Philip Jenkinson, the MEP's lawyer, admitted it was now too late to redistribute tickets but described the case as "a matter of principle".

Tony Banks: plans to boycott France 98

Lawyers for the French Football Federation (FFF), the world soccer body FIFA and the CFO argued tickets already sold could not be redistributed and the sales had not violated European Union rules.

The MPs also demanded 120,000 francs (£12,000) each in damages from the CFO, FIFA and FFF for failing to give them a chance to buy tickets.