Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has backed a potential bid by the United Kingdom to host the 2030 World Cup.

Blatter is in Russia for the current tournament as a guest of Russia president Vladimir Putin.

He is scheduled to attend Wednesday's match between Portugal and Morocco, despite presently serving a six-year ban from football for a £1.35m payment in 2011 to then UEFA president Michel Platini.

Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has backed the UK to host the 2030 World

Blatter is in Russia for the World Cup, despite serving a six-year ban from football

'I think that England, they deserve to organise the World Cup,' the 82-year-old Blatter said to Sky Sports in Russia.

'They had it in '66, a long time ago. Wales and Scotland together, why not Ireland? I think they will be confident, I'm sure. With 48 teams, you need more than one country, definitely.'

It was under Blatter that England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup lost out to Russia.

Blatter arrived in Moscow on Tuesday and is expected to attend Portugal v Morocco

There are also reports in Russia that Blatter will watch Brazil v Costa Rica in St Petersburg

Russian newspaper Sport Express has reported on its website that Blatter will be in St Petersburg on Friday top watch Brazil play Costa Rica.

Blatter arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, posing for selfies with fans in a hotel lobby before a meeting his spokesman said is scheduled for Wednesday with President Vladimir Putin.

'Any meetings that could be held are being realised in the framework of his private visit and are not official,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked if Blatter has met or would meet Putin.