JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter says Canada is among several countries interested in bidding for the 2018 World Cup.

But a Canadian Soccer Association official said Monday that nothing is official yet.

"But we're always looking to host world class events," said CSA spokesman Richard Scott.

Blatter, who was speaking at the opening of the Soccerex international conference Monday, listed Canada among several countries he said wanted to bid for the world tournament.

"We are in 2007 and the 2018 World Cup has already started," Blatter said. "The United States, Mexico, Canada, Belgium and Holland which are united, Spain -- don't forget them -- Russia and, of course, England. ... Then there are China, Japan and Australia."

Until recently, FIFA had a continental rotation system for hosting the World Cup, with the 2018 tournament set to go to a CONCACAF country. But Blatter switched to a free-for-all after Brazil turned out to be the only viable South American candidate for 2014.

Blatter praised Canada after its successful hosting of last summer's FIFA under-20 World Cup. But Canada recently lost out to Germany in a bid to host the 2011 World Cup.

Canada currently doesn't have the stadiums required to host a World Cup, but a joint bid with the U.S. is a possibility.

Blatter wants to treat the bidding nations like their national teams -- make them qualify for the final vote.

"If there will be as many candidates as it appears there might be, then we will have to do what the IOC does and have a preliminary elimination," Blatter said at the opening of the Soccerex international conference.

The International Olympic Committee was faced with the same problem more than a decade ago and decided to reduce the number of bid cities to cut costs of all involved.

The IOC first accepts a list of "applicant" cities to be considered as Olympic host cities. A panel of IOC experts assess the candidates and makes recommendations to the IOC executive board, which then cuts the field to a shortlist of official bids.

Blatter said it would also allow FIFA to weed out candidates without the proper credentials. It was unclear when the first cut of candidates would be made. The final decision on the 2018 tournament is set for 2011.

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- With files from The Canadian Press.