News from Welsh Labour

Wales and Scotland urged to “Go for it!” as Euro 2016 deadline nears

A Labour Member of the Welsh Assembly is making a last minute call on the Football Association of Wales and the Scottish Football Association, to “go for it” and apply to co-host the Euro 2016 football championships.

Lesley Griffiths, the AM for Wrexham, made her comments ahead of the 9th March deadline, by which time UEFA member associations which are interested in submitting a bid to host the prestigious competition in the summer of 2016 must signal their intention to do so.

The three phase bidding process to host Euro 2016, was given the “green light” by UEFA’s Executive Committee at its meeting in Nyon, Switzerland last December.

The current and “initial phase” of the bid process closes on Monday, 9th March. By this date, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the Scottish Football Association (SFA) must have signalled their intention that they wish to bid to co-host the 24-team championship finals in 2016.

UEFA’s Executive Committee have agreed that joint bids by two member associations – such as Wales and Scotland – would be permitted. The Committee has also agreed that “under exceptional circumstances, joint bids comprised of three member associations may also be considered”.

Immediately following the Nyon meeting in December, the FAW and the SFA confirmed they were locked in discussions on a possible joint-bid to co-host the Euro 2016.

Since then, France has also indicated it wishes to host the championships.

Urging Wales and Scotland to meet the 9th March deadline, Lesley Griffiths AM said:

“The clock is ticking on the first phase of bidding for Euro 2016 and I would urge Wales and Scotland to go for it and signal their intent. I don’t believe there will be many countries interested in bidding in the current economic climate and we would be kicking ourselves forever if only one other nation registered its interest by the deadline and they won by default.

“I believe we should throw our hat into the ring now and see if we can make it onto the shortlist. If we do, then the real work will begin.

“I sincerely hope both associations decide to go for this, as I believe there would be immense public and political support in both countries, to host these championships.”

Following the 9th March deadline, UEFA will then decide on whether to create a short list of three to four candidates to host the competition.

Once the short list is decided upon, a “bid dossier development phase” will follow, at which point UEFA will distribute the tournament requirements and the bid dossier template, which must be completed and returned to UEFA by 15 February 2010.

It is anticipated that the successful bid will be announced at the end of May 2010.

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