Spain and Portugal announce joint World Cup bid

Spain and Portugal have formally agreed to submit a joint bid to rival England's for the 2018 World Cup.

• The combined bid has been mooted for more than a year and was finally confirmed two weeks ago. Portugal’s football federation president Gilberto Madail and his Spanish counterpart Angel Maria Villar Llona signed an official agreement in Lisbon today.

• Fifa have issued a deadline of 2 February for letters of interest to be submitted. Madail told Portuguese news agency Lusa: “This is an important day, the day we decide to go ahead and present a bid to Fifa.” Spain and Portugal will be tough rivals for England as they can expect full support from the three South American representatives on Fifa’s 24-man executive committee who will make the decision in December 2011.

• Other countries bidding are Australia, and another joint bid from Belgium/Holland. Russia, China, Qatar, the United States and Japan may also enter the contest for 2018 or 2022. Fifa’s executive committee announced last month there would be a simultaneous bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.