Washington, July 28 (DPA) FIFA president Joseph Blatter said he was open to a joint bid by Spain and Portugal for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, erasing fears that countries dividing the hosting honours will be at a disadvantage.

The US also had a 'good chance' of getting one of the two dates because of the footballing organisation's policy of rotating the prize between continents, Blatter said in Washington after a meeting with US President Barack Obama.

There are 11 bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, or both, including Australia, Russia, England, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Qatar and Indonesia. The winners for both events will be announced in December 2010.

But Blatter in the past had said he was skeptical of countries bidding jointly, after the 2002 World Cup hosted by Japan and South Korea was plagued with recriminations between the two sides' governing sports bodies.