Brazil's Lula in SA for final

Pretoria - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will visit South Africa for the World Cup final, a top foreign ministry official said on Thursday.

"Brazil is hosting the World Cup in 2014 and it customary for FIFA to invite the president of the next host country to the final," the ministry's director general Ayanda Ntsaluba told reporters.

"South Africa decided to combine that with a state visit to South Africa starting on July 7 or 8 by President Lula, who is undertaking a four-nation tour as he completes his second and final four-year term as head of state."

Five-time champions Brazil have already qualified for the second round, even before their clash Friday with former colonial power Portugal.

The World Cup final takes place on July 11 in Johannesburg.