ZURICH: The 2014 World Cup will be held in South America, world football’s governing body FIFA announced yesterday.

The announcement follows an earlier decision that the tournament should rotate between continents. “We are bringing it to a continent which hasn’t organised a World Cup since 1978, although they have won it nine times,” said FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Germany have already been awarded the next World Cup in 2006, while Africa — who have  never yet hosted the event — has been promised the 2010 edition. Asia staged the tournament for the first time in 2002 when South Korea and Japan served as joint hosts.

The decision marks the World Cup’s return to South America for the first time since 1978, when it was staged in Argentina. The tournament was to be held in Colombia in 1986, but was moved to Mexico after organisers told FIFA they had financial troubles and were unable to stage the event. The South Americans are still chafing from the executive committee’s decision in Madrid in December to reorganise the distribution of berths, which in effect cost South America two places at the next World Cup. South America had always been guaranteed four berths at the World Cup, and used to play off with Oceania for an extra spot — an event it usually won, especially over the last two decades.

However, the executive committee decided in December to guarantee Oceania a spot, therefore eliminating South America’s chance at an extra fifth berth. In addition, the reigning World Cup champions will no longer automatically qualify for the tournament, meaning Brazil will have to compete for one of the four South American slots. The decision prompted FIFA senior vice president Julio Grondona, representing the South American confederation, to submit a proposal yesterday to have 36 instead of 32 teams compete at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Blatter said that would be considered at a later date.