FIFA president Sepp Blatter is worried that this year's World Cup might end up the lowest scoring ever, and he wants to figure out ways to "make football more attractive again."

FIFA President Joseph Blatter arrives at a reception hosted by Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit for the Organising Committee of the 2006 World Cup in Germany in Berlin July 6, 2006.

The 2006 World Cup has seen 2.27 goals per match so far, just a shade above the record low of 2.21 from 1990. This year's average would dip below that if no goals are scored in Saturday's Germany-Portugal third-place game and the France-Italy final Sunday.

"The football isn't that bad, but there aren't enough goals,and when there are too few goals, the public isn't very enthusiastic," Blatter said. "The essence of the game is goals."

Blatter wants to devise changes that will help attackers break through increasingly sophisticated defenses.

"We will set up a large symposium with the 32 World Cup coaches, the referees, the doctors and the technical study group of the World Cup," Blatter said. "We want to hear what they have to say about what we can do to make football more attractive again."

Ideas might include widening the goals and revamping offside rules. After the low-scoring 1990 World Cup, FIFA reacted by eliminating the pass back to the goalkeeper.

Blatter ruled out one proposal of reducing teams to 10 men to counteract the growing speed and size of defenders. The Brazilian great Socrates has argued that would create space for playmakers such as France's Zinedine Zidane, Germany's Michael Ballack and Italy's Francesco Totti.

Blatter hopes instead that teams will adopt more attacking styles.

"If it's an open game, there is enough room for 11 players," Blatter said, "but with 11 defenders there is not enough space."