3 Dec 2008Scotland and Wales to explore Euro 2016 co-hosting possibility

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance

Scotland may launch a joint bid with Wales and possibly even Northern Ireland to host the European Championships in 2016, it has been suggested today (December 3rd).

The Scottish Football Association is determined to bring a major tournament to the country after it lost out to Ukraine and Poland in its attempts to co-host the 2012 tournament with Ireland.

Now a spokesman for the body has confirmed that it has had "tentative" talks with its Welsh counterparts, although he stressed that the process is in its embryonic stages.

He said: "To suggest that we are planning to launch a bid is wide of the mark, but we have had tentative talks with the Welsh and further talks are planned with Northern Ireland when the international board meets in Belfast at the end of February."

The spokesman added that none of the countries would be able to stage a 24-team tournament individually but that a co-hosting arrangement was a possibility.

Meanwhile, Football Association of Wales secretary general David Collins said: "The matter is on the agenda for our council meeting next week."

Uefa has confirmed that countries must put forward their submissions to host the tournament by spring next year, according to the BBC.

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