Their joint bid could join a crowded field which, besides England, could also include Australia, China, Russia and the United States.

 

The president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Gilberto Madail, claimed that an opinion poll found that 85 percent of the Portuguese population would support the candidature.

The president also argued that “the State coffers would not be significantly overburdened,” citing the hosting of the Euro 2004 as an example.

 

He said: “The Portuguese State only needed to invest ten percent of the costs, which translated into 100 million Euros (£79.43 million), 25 million (£19.85 million) each year for a four-year period."

 

Madail added that he expected the matter to be further discussed with Spain during this summer’s European Championships in Austria and Hungary, with the next step being to request “an audience with the Government.”

Laurentino Dias, Portugal's Secretary of State of Youth and Sport, gave his backing to the initiative.

 

He said: "The Euro 2004 tournament economically speaking did not make a loss – it in fact made a profit.

 

"But Portugal is not big enough to organise the Olympic Games or a World Cup alone.

“However, I think Portugal would have a lot to gain from a joint bid with Spain.

 

"There has to be excellent relations between the football federations of the two countries, then the Governments will have to get involved.

“It will be a difficult process and for it to come about both countries will have to make concessions.

 

"It’s no use speaking too much publicly about the subject.

 

 

"It’s time to work behind the scenes.”