FIFA President urges Asia to push for more World Cup entries

PanARMENIAN.Net - FIFA President Sepp Blatter has urged Asian football to push for more World Cup entries, at the expense of Europe and South America, AP reported.

Blatter said Friday, that "we have to have a better balance" because the two most powerful continents could have 19 of the 32 teams in Brazil next year.

"You are a powerhouse, you must be aware of our powerhouse," the FIFA boss told the 46 Asian Football Confederation member federations at their annual meeting.

Asian teams fight over just four guaranteed World Cup berths, with a fifth available in an intercontinental playoff. For 2014, the playoff will be against a South American team.

Blatter says reorganizing the "geopolitical and democratic side" of FIFA should be the last phase of his reform program until 2015, when the next FIFA election is scheduled. He has recently backed away from a 2011 promise that his current four-year mandate is his last.