24 teams no sooner than in 2016

On 18th April UEFA's Executive Committee agreed that any potential increase in the number of teams competing in a UEFA European Football Championship would not come into place until the 2016 tournament.

The committee, meeting in Cardiff, Wales, approved a proposed timeline for a feasibility study into a possible 24-team final round, which provides for a decision by the Executive Committee in November or December this year. UEFA's member associations backed a proposal for an immediate feasibility study into the tournament's expansion at the XXXI Ordinary UEFA Congress in Dusseldorf, Germany in January. The Scottish Football Association's proposal came with the support of the Football Association of Ireland, Latvian Football Federation and Swedish Football Association.

The proposal to congress argued that expanding the EURO would give greater meaning to the qualifying round. In addition, a 24-team event would be more attractive to sponsors and television companies as well as spreading the distribution of revenues among a greater number of countries. The final round was expanded from eight to 16 sides prior to EURO '96™ in England

The Executive Committee also gave the green light to the launch of an experimental European Under-21 futsal competition, starting in 2008.

Seven new members of the UEFA Grassroots Charter were also approved - Belgium, Croatia, France, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Greece, Spain and Turkey. The charter, created in 2004, represents an endorsement of the grassroots programmes of national associations. UEFA's work revolves around motivating, stimulating and supporting the associations in building up these activities.

20th April 2007