FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologised to England and Mexico for the refereeing errors that helped eliminate them from the World Cup and says the world body will re-open the debate on introducing video technology.

Blatter said Tuesday that he said sorry to team officials, and that the delegations of both teams accepted his apology.

"Naturally we deplore when you see the evidence of refereeing mistakes," said Blatter, who attended Sunday's matches in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

Blatter said FIFA will "reopen the file" on video technology at a meeting of its rule-making panel in Cardiff from July 21-22.

He added that it would be "a nonsense" for the International Football Association Board not to consider changes.

"Naturally we will take on board again the discussion about technology - something has to be changed," Blatter said, while adding that the system could not be changed midway through the World Cup.

Blatter said he apologised to England and Mexico team officials at Sunday's matches.

"The English said 'thank you.' The Mexicans, they just go with the head," Blatter said, indicating that they nodded.

"I understand that they are not happy. It was not a five-star game for refereeing."

England were denied a clear goal that would have levelled their match against Germany at 2-2, while Argentina took the lead against Mexico with a goal that was clearly offside.

Germany advanced 4-1 and Argentina won 3-1.

The errors created a worldwide furore and put pressure on FIFA, which have long opposed allowing officials to use technology to assist in decision-making.

Blatter said only goal-line technology would be discussed next month, which would have made no difference to the Mexican game or indeed to the incident when Thierry Henry's handball set up what proved to be the crucial goal in France's World Cup play-off win over Ireland last November.

"The only principle we are going to bring back for discussion is goal-line technology," said Blatter.

"Football is a game that never stops and the moment there was a discussion if the ball was in or out, or there was a goal-scoring opportunity, do we give a possibility to a team to call for replays once or twice like in tennis?

FIFA also will update their referee training program.

Blatter said FIFA have set a deadline of October or November to create a new concept for improving match control at top tournaments.

Blatter said the dossier was "on the presidential table".

He said FIFA spent $US40 million ($A46 million) on a program to prepare match officials worldwide before selecting 30 referees and 60 assistants to work in South Africa.

"They have their eyes, their perception of the game. So let's make that better and hope we are going forward," Blatter said.

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