2 Mar 2009Scotland and Wales ditch Euro 2016 bid

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance

Scotland and Wales have decided to shelve plans to make a joint bid to host the European Championships in 2016, it was revealed yesterday (March 1st).

Talks between the respective associations occurred last year over the possibility of staging the event, for which interested parties must submit bids to Fifa by next Monday.

However, a combination of the tournament expanding to 24 teams, the expected costs involved in upgrading stadia and the economic downturn have all made it a tough proposition.

A spokesman for the Scottish Football Association said: "The infrastructure required for the new expanded tournament makes it extremely difficult for us to even consider hosting.

"We do want to host a major championships here in Scotland but, particularly in these tough economic times, we have to be realistic about the huge costs involved."

Welsh deputy first minister and minister for economy and transport Ieuan Wyn Jones added his weight to the decision, describing the tournament as "unaffordable".

The next European Championships are set to take place in Poland and Ukraine in 2012.

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