THE PRESIDENT of FIFA has invited China to bid for the 2014 World Cup and invited the world to take part in next year's Beijing Olympics, according to the Shanghai-based Oriental Sports Daily.

Joseph Blatter, the eighth and current President of the global soccer body, made the remarks yesterday in Beijing during a completion ceremony for the new headquarters of China's Football Association.

Blatter said he appreciated China's efforts to hold a successful women's World Cup, said the report.

The event is powerful proof of the country's ability to hold any large international games, he said.

Blatter said he would be in China until the end of next week.

The next World Cup will be held in South Africa in 2010.