Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, has given England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals a boost by suggesting joint bids will not be given much consideration.

Countries hoping to hold the 2018 and 2022 tournaments have until Monday to formally register their interest with Fifa.

Spain and Portugal are planning a bid for at least one of the competitions, as are Holland and Belgium.

If Fifa were to discount their interest, that would leave England's competition to hold the 2018 tournament reduced to Japan, Qatar, Russia, Australia, Indonesia and the United States.

Alain Courtois, who is leading the Holland/Belgium bid, said he was going ahead as planned.

"We have a long way to go, and we will hear all kinds of things," he told the Associated Press.

"But the moment that counts is when we have the vote, not any time earlier."

Fifa's 24-man executive committee will announce the hosts for both tournaments in December.