JOHANNESBURG, July 5 World football's two most prestigious player of the year awards will merge into a single title called the Ballon d'Or from next year.

Europe's existing Ballon d'Or and FIFA's World Player of the Year award will cease to exist as individual entities and the new award will be given for the first time in January.

The deal was announced by France Football publisher Marie-Odile Amaury and FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday.

France Football created its European Footballer of the Year award _ the Ballon d'Or, or Golden Ball _ in 1956 from a poll of international journalists. The award was later opened to players of any nationality.—AP