(Pocket-lint) - Following 4K testing at the FIFA Confederations Cup last summer, Sony and FIFA both announced that the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final in Brazil would be filmed and broadcast in 4K.

"The World Cup Final in 4K is the next natural evolution. We needed to be sure we had the technology that could deliver the trial this summer," Niclas Ericson, FIFA TV's director, told the Hollywood Reporter. "We believe 4K will create a richer and more exciting viewing experience for viewers.”

Sony will also be responsible for the 4K production. That said, only the final match will be produced in 4K, though talks about public viewing venues and cinema screenings are also under way by FIFA. The final decision regarding the number of matches to be shot in 4K will depend on the results of the World Cup draw in December.

During the announcement, Sony's Katsunori Yamanouchi seemed to push 4K on to television producers: “Why should you invest now in 4K when viewers don't have 4K TVs? Because this live production system can also be used to shoot HD - by offering HD cut-outs from 4K cameras, down-conversion to HD or high frame rate sequences for slow motion,” he said.

Read: Sony: 4K will be mainstream within a couple of years

Sony has long emphasised the value in 4K - likely because it has spent so much time and money investing in the format. The company recently unveiled its $4,500 Sony Handycam FDR-AX1 that shoots 4K video and even launched a 4K Ultra HD Video Download service at IFA 2013 in Berlin.

In a briefing at the company's worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles recently, Chris Cookson, president of technology at Sony Pictures, told Pocket-lint that 4K would be mainstream within a couple of years.

"I think once the larger sized screens are available in 4K then it will be as hard to find a 1080p large display as it is today a 720p large screen, which just a few years ago was the standard for what we classed as Hi-def. It's exciting times," he said.

Writing by Elyse Betters.