SA will become the first African nation to host football’s four-year shopiece event in three years’ time, but reports of delays in stadium construction work have threatened hopes of the tournament being staged there.

FIFA remain confident that all necessary facilities will be ready in time but Blatter clearly feels FIFA need to keep options open in case there are any unforeseen problems.

Asked if England or Australia were fall-back options should the South African organisation falter, Blatter told the BBC’s Inside Sport programme: “Yes, but there are other countries that are ready to organise tomorrow morning or in two days, or two months, a World Cup. The United States of America, and Mexico, they can do it, Japan, they can do it. They have enough stadia."

“You say England can do it, and I am sure. Spain, they can do it. There are a lot of countries, but they don’t need to be ready.”