Sepp Blatter has hinted that the World Cup qualifying playoffs could be scrapped in the future.

The FIFA president said that an alternative means of deciding which teams make the finals must be sought, expressing sympathy for the nations that have bowed out in such ties.

"The playoff matches will bring a lot of excitement and a lot of spectators, and I would also say not only emotion but passion, and there will be drama," he told FIFA's official website.

"There will be drama because you have to eliminate teams over two matches, which is good for television and good for the spectacle of football.

"But we should try to find a solution where, at the end of qualification, you are in or out and not this playoff. Okay, it gives more intensive action, but for those teams involved it is a hard way to go."

Blatter recently issued an apology to Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo over comments he made about the player that were deemed offensive.