Blatter expects guidelines for the new ethics committee to be ready within three months. It will replace a current ethics committee format that has an executive committee member in charge.

Before the tournament, the major issues looming included the threat of having soccer suspended from the Olympics if FIFA did not completely accept the World Anti-Doping Code and the constant debate with the elite Group of 14 clubs over compensation for players on national duty.

The FIFA congress accepted the anti-doping code, including _ "in principle" _ a minimum two-year for first-time offenders, but also allowed national associations to adjust according to circumstances.

FIFA also tested an insurance scheme to compensate clubs whose players are seriously injured at the World Cup. The intention was meant as a safety net if players are hurt and not adequately insured by either their club or national association.

This World Cup's highest-profile casualty was England striker Michael Owen, who will be sidelined for at least six months with a knee injury.

Owen's Premier League club, Newcastle, is seeking compensation.

In other changes proposed at the congress, FIFA reiterated its demand that first-division domestic leagues contain a maximum of 18 teams by the 2007-2008 season, a move likely to cause a rift with the Premier League.

The idea is to reduce the number of league matches and give players more time for national duties.

Better monitoring of player agents and devising methods to track the flow of money in player transfers also will come into scope.

Four years ago, Blatter and FIFA were plagued by allegations of financial mismanagement leading into the World Cup in South Korea and Japan _ the first in Asia and the first to be jointly hosted. The focus of that FIFA congress was on a vote for the president. Blatter survived and FIFA's financial position has improved dramatically.

There was no vote for executive positions this time. An election is scheduled for next year.

Ahead of the 2002 World Cup, the organization acknowledged losses of about US$60 million (euro46.92 million), mainly due to the collapse of its partner ISL Marketing. For 2005, FIFA showed a surplus of US$162.7 million (euro127.22 million) on revenues of US$664.4 million (euro519.51 million).

FIFA expects its revenues to rise in the next four years ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Four years ago, supposedly we were not good," said Blatter, adding about his detractors: "Now we're very good. We are criticized when we're poor, we're criticized when we're rich."

One area of concern is Africa, where there's already speculation that key infrastructure in South Africa will not be ready in time.

Blatter does not agree.

"We trust our South African colleagues," he said. "There may be some problems _ there's always the questions of 'will the stadiums be built?' transport, roads _ I don't have any problems with that.

"It's a thriving country. They have the brains, they have the managers _ we can't go in there and say 'we are the missionaries'. No, we're going there to help and to try to give back to Africa what Africa has given to football."