A deal is being discussed whereby only European nations would bid to host the 2018 World Cup, according to FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Blatter said he had talked over the deal proposal with Michel Platini, president of UEFA.

"There is a movement at the moment among the various candidates that in the end it would be a good solution... if the candidates for 2018 would only be those from Europe," said Blatter.

"It's not been finally decided but it's the idea, also to make the work of FIFA easier and especially that of the executive committee," he added after meeting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid.

"It would also possibly make the work of the different organisations applying for the World Cup easier."

World football's ruling body FIFA need bid documentation by the end of May and will study them in June and send out groups of specialists to visit candidate nations and assess their ability to stage the event successfully, Blatter said.

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