Spain's sport minister Jaime Lissavetzky has criticised Portugal's lack of commitment to their joint-World Cup bid.

They face stiff competition from England, Russia, Australia, Japan and the United States for the 2018 tournament as well as Belgium and the Netherlands who have also put forward a joint bid, and Lissavetzky feels his Portuguese counterparts are not doing enough to boost their chances.

"I don't see Portugal overly excited," he told Spanish newspaper AS.

"It seems that those in football are more interested than the politicians.

"But I see more chance of it happening than Madrid hosting the Olympics in 2016.

"We have footballers who are selling it and (FIFA president Sepp) Blatter says that in 2018 it will be Europe's turn."

Lissavetzky also appeared to flout the rules preventing countries from criticising rival bids by snubbing Russia's chances, saying: "FIFA are not interested in a cold World Cup."