Fifa president Sepp Blatter has welcomed a bid from the English Football Association host the 2018 World Cup in England.

Blatter said he would welcome a bid from “the homeland of football” .

He said: “I would say yes, they should bid – it is the homeland of football.

“They are building stadia and other facilities for the Olympics, Wembley is almost finished and maybe they would be used for a World Cup bid.”

South Africa are hosting the 2010 tournament and under Fifa’s rotation policy the 2014 World Cup will be in South America.

The tournament should return to Europe in 2018.

Blatter is also an International Olympic Committee member and he is thought to have voted for London.

He admitted he was happy with the vote in Singapore in July which awarded the Olympics to London.

He added: “I voted for football and from a football point of view I’m very happy about the decision taken.

“Sir Bobby Charlton, Sven-Goran Eriksson and David Beckham were in Singapore as London 2012 ambassadors and this was a very positive reflection for us.”