FIFA to study scrapping extra time at World Cup

FIFA president Sepp Blatter wants the governing body of football to consider scrapping extra time at the 2014 World Cup to encourage more attacking play after seeing too much defensive tactics in South Africa.



Blatter says he wants to stop teams from being defensive when they are even after 90 minutes in a knockout match in an attempt to avoid conceding a goal at all costs.



Blatter says to prevent this, FIFA could go directly to a penalty shootout after full time, or reintroduce the golden goal rule.



The golden goal rule applied at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, in which the first goal of extra time decides the game.



Blatter also is unhappy with some teams' negative approach in their first group matches at the recent World Cup.



FIFA's Football and Technical & Development committees will study the issues when they both meet on October 18. The panels will report to FIFA's executive committee, which meets October 28-29 in Zurich.



The 2014 World Cup tournament will be played in Brazil.