Blatter praises Celtic Park

Match report: Celtic 3-0 Teplice

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has suggested that Celtic Park is fit to host the final of a major tournament.

Blatter was in Glasgow to present the club's fans with the Fifa Fair Play Award for 2003.

"I have seen a lot of stadia during my 20 years working with Fifa and I can say that this stadium is definitely up to hosting any final," he said.

"I have seen the pitch, I have seen the stadium, I have seen the facilities - and it's five-star, definitely."

Celtic's fans received the award for their behaviour before and during last season's Uefa Cup final, when their side lost to Porto.

"I was not present in Seville personally, but there were Fifa delegates there and, from the reports that were on TV, I can only say that this is not the first time that Celtic fans have presented themselves as warm and wonderful supporters," said Blatter.

He appeared to give a guarded welcome to the idea of Celtic and major rivals Rangers one day playing in the English Premiership - but preferred to see it in the context of a merger between the four British football associations.

"It is a headache to have four British associations," he said.

"If they were together, there would be a wonderful Premier League and more."

Blatter stressed that Fifa's executive committee would only consider the matter should the Scottish Football Association and its English counterpart agree first to any switch by the Old Firm.