Blatter shocks World Cup: 2002 holders have to qualify for 2006

The winners of the 2002 World Cup will not have an automatic place at the 2006 finals according to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The winners next June will have to go through qualification rounds to reach Germany four years later.

The only way to avoid this is for Germany to win next June as hosts do qualify automatically.

Blatter wants a World Cup every two years and to push through this aim he wants to remove one of the main reasons to win the title every four years.

Immunity from the qualification rounds is a major bonus for champions.

But eyeing television revenues, FIFA now want to push the champions into competitive matches.

It also reduces the number of friendlies which European clubs in particular have bitterly opposed since France won the World Cup in 1998.

But the main reason for the move is political.

The expected favourites to win next June - France or Argentina - come from the established power blocks of Europe and South America.

Blatter is keen to weaken their domination of the supreme event in any way possible and also needs to boost sponsorship and television revenue after the collapse of its marketing arm earlier this year.

By removing a qualifying place from Europe and South America Blatter can hand it to one of his political allies in Asia, Africa or even the Caribbean to strengthen his power base. Alternatively the extra qualifying place could be handed to Oceania effectively putting Australia into the 2006 finals automatically.

The 2006 finals may also not see the holders present.

Blatter said the decision was made at an executive meeting of the international governing body in Pusan today to effectively downgrade the champions of 2002.

The draw for the finals takes place tomorrow.