Euro Championship to be extended

September 26, 2008

Uefa have decided that from 20160 onward the European championships will include 24 teams instead of the current 16.

Franz Beckenbauer said: “Yes for sure it’s going to be 24 teams,”

“The European Championships will not lose any quality by that.”

The proposal to extend the competition was put forward by the Scottish and Irish FA and all 53 nations voted unanimously in favour of the plan which will mean that a lot of countries including Scotland and Ireland will no longer be able to host the tournament as they won’t have enough stadiums.

Gordon Smith said: “I think the expansion will be better for the game - more teams will have the chance of qualifying and the excitement of the groups will go on for longer,”

“It is disappointing in that it means we will not be able to stage the tournament in the future, and we recognise that will be the case.

“It was a trade-off between trying to stage it or open up the qualification process and we have decided to look at something that helps everybody.”

The rise in the number of countries able to compete should make it easier for the home nations to qualify.

“It will make it easier for other countries such as England who failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

“We didn’t do it specifically for that purpose however.”

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