Ireland Support Scots Push For Expansion

Last updated : 11 December 2006 By Gerry Ormonde

In an effort to secure more places in the finals of a major championship for smaller nations, the Scottish FA have submitted a proposal for next month's UEFA's Congress to consider the expansion.

They have been supported by the Republic of Ireland, plus the FAs of Sweden and Latvia.


A UEFA spokesman said: 'There has been a request from Scottish FA backed by three other national associations to have the proposal put on the agenda for the Congress in January.

'The next stage would be for the Congress to ask for a feasibility study on it or to reject the proposal.'

The expansion would mean almost half of UEFA's 52 member countries getting to the finals, but UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson said that if there was support, the changes could even affect Euro 2012.

Italy, plus joint bids from Ukraine/Poland and Croatia/Hungary are battling to host the tournament.

The last expansion took place for Euro 96 in England, when the finals went from eight teams to 16.

From 1960 to 1976 it was a mini-tournament of just four teams.