Iberian World Cup 2018 bid

Portuguese Secretary of State for Youth and Sport Laurentino Dias has become the latest prominent figure to endorse a joint 2018 World Cup bid by Portugal and Spain.
The bid has now received support from several high-profile figures in football and government. Last week the Spanish press reported that FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a delegation of Spanish clubs and members of the Spanish Football Federation visiting FIFA’s Zurich headquarters: ‘The time has come for Spain to organise another World Cup’.

The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Gilberto Madail, proposed the joint bid last November. His counterpart at the Spanish Football Federation, Angel Maria Villar, has been more guarded in his mention of the proposal. Speaking to reporters in Zurich, he said, “It’s an option which we will study together with the Spanish government, but without haste”.

Spain last hosted the World Cup in 1982. Other countries interested in hosting the 2018 event include England, Australia, China, Mexico, Russia, Uruguay, the United States and Argentina.