A South American country will host the 2014 World Cup finals, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.

Africa will host the finals for the first time in 2010 and the World Cup will return to South America four years later in line with FIFA's rotation system for the game's biggest tournament.

Argentina held the last South American World Cup in 1978.

"By rotating the World Cup it will go to South America in 2014," Blatter told reporters after a meeting of FIFA's executive committee.

Japan and South Korea hosted Asia's first finals last year while the World Cup will return to Europe in Germany in 2006.

South American nations have hosted four of the 17 World Cups. Uruguay, Brazil and Chile have also played host to it.

"I would never say the South American economy has been under pressure in the past," Blatter said.

"It is 2014 when the World Cup will go to South America and how can you predict what the economy will be like then?

The finals have been held in Europe on nine occasions, with North America hosting the event three times and Asia once.