Irish team members were outraged after Swedish referee Martin Hansson, centre, allowed a goal by France's William Gallas to stand. Irish team members were outraged after Swedish referee Martin Hansson, centre, allowed a goal by France's William Gallas to stand. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images)

FIFA says Ireland will not be invited into the World Cup as a 33rd team even though Thierry Henry's handball helped France eliminate the Irish in a playoff.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Tuesday it is "impossible" to change the structure of the tournament, and that it would open the international soccer federation to a host of other complaints from teams that felt they were cheated during qualifying.

Valcke said he "would not say it is a nonsense but it is impossible."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Monday that the Irish had written to soccer's world governing body asking to be let into the 2010 tournament in South Africa because of Henry's handball.