By Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport in Tunisia

Blatter wants to help smaller nations

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says there should be a event for countries who are knocked out of the 2006 Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifying series.

Nearly half of the Confederation of African Football's (Caf) 52 members were eliminated from the race after the conclusion of last year's preliminary round.

The new format adopted by the Caf executive committee provoked outrage from Africa's smaller nations, who criticised the system as being harmful to their football development.

"They [the smaller countries] have to play because they cannot wait for the next [qualifying] opportunity," said Blatter in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport in Tunis.

"The African confederation should organise competitions within their six zones."

Blatter proposed that they think of organising a tournament involving the lesser African, Asian and European teams.