THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TELKI, Hungary -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Saturday that world soccer's executive committee wants to limit the Olympic tournament to players under 21 years of age.

Despite earlier reports that FIFA wanted to set the age limit at 20, Blatter said the extra year would allow the teams that qualified for the Under-20 World Cup to compete in the Olympics the following year.

"If this (proposal) goes through, we will use the qualification in the Under-20 (World Cup) ... and then the best teams will play in the Olympics," Blatter told the Associated Press during a visit to Hungary.

The U-20 World Cup has been played every two years since 1977. Egypt will host the tournament this year and it is set to be played in Colombia in 2011, a year ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Blatter said FIFA's upcoming 59th Congress in the Bahamas would make a decision on the executive committee's proposal.

Under existing rules, the Olympics are open to players under 23 but teams are also able field three older players.

"We have had problems with the age limit of 23," Blatter said. "Olympic football not being on the international calendar ... this has created a lot of difficulties."

Blatter also said that from 2010, FIFA would present a yet to be determined award at its annual gala named after Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas.

Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini were in Hungary to take part in the inauguration of Hungarian football's new training grounds.

Hungary, coached by Dutchman Erwin Koeman, is currently tied with Denmark at the top of Group 1 in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as it vies to secure its first appearance at a major international tournament since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.