/world sport
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has welcomed a joint bid by Belgium and the Netherlands to host the 2018 World Cup finals, according to the Dutch Football Federation president.
Sprengers said that Blatter was encouraging about the joint bid.
Jeu Sprengers said that Blatter, who has in the past been hostile to joint bids, had been encouraging about it.
"Mr Blatter said that we were the first candidates to come to Zurich and show their dossier to FIFA," said Sprengers.
"He added that our initiative opened up the way for smaller countries who didn't dare bid on their own."
The 2002 World Cup was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
According to FIFA procedure the Benelux candidacy - which is supported by Luxembourg, who could also be part of the bid - must be filed by 2009.
They can expect stiff opposition from Australia, China, Mexico, Russia, Uruguay and Argentina, who have all announced their intention to bid, and England, who have officially done so.
The winning bid will be announced in 2011. E-mail to a friend 
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