Sony Corporation has signed a deal with Fifa to record up to 25 World Cup games in 3-D.

For now, 3-D video of the World Cup in South Africa won't be shown in TV broadcast for homes, according to the Japanese firm which makes Bravia TVs, Walkman portable players and PlayStation 3 game consoles.

They will be shown at Sony booths at FIFA events in Berlin, London, Mexico City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Sydney in June and July. Highlights will be shown in Sony showrooms, and a video version will be sold through Sony Pictures.

Sony is one of several electronics makers planning or working on 3-D technology for TVs and movies. The company makes 3-D-capable video cameras, and plans to sell 3-D TVs for homes next year.

People wear special glasses to see 3-D footage because the illusion of dimension is created by sending different images to the left and the right eyes, although manufacturers are working on upgrades that will show 3-D without glasses.

Chief executive officer Howard Stringer expressed his enthusiasm for watching a soccer game in 3-D in an interview this week.

"I thought that was very cool," he said at Tokyo headquarters.

Most 3-D releases so far have been animation films but the feature is gradually spreading to other genres, such as the soon-to-be-released sci-fi epic Avatar.

Mr Stringer said sports was definitely one areas where 3-D could display its strengths.

He also said he wanted to see "thoughtful" movies someday being made in 3-D. He ruled out Michael Jackson videos and the next "Spider-Man" movie as 3-D possibilities.