Scotland and Wales in talks over joint bid for Euro 2016

SCOTLAND and Wales could launch a joint bid to host the Euro 2016 football championships, it was revealed today.

Soccer chiefs in both countries confirmed "tentative talks" have taken place over a bid.

If it was successful, it would mean a mouth-watering decade of sporting events in Britain.

London will host the 2012 Olympics, Glasgow is the venue for the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and England is planning a bid to host the World Cup four years later.

Scotland's ambitions of staging the competition appeared to have ended in September when Uefa announced it was increasing the number of finalists from 16 to 24.

Scotland lacks the infrastructure to host an expanded tournament on its own.

But the SFA is looking to link up with one of its near neighbours in the hope that a joint bid will be successful.

Talks have also taken place with Northern Ireland, but it is understood that Wales is considered the only viable partner.

The SFA said in a statement: "As we've always said, we would love to host the European Championships in Scotland.

"However, we realise it's a huge undertaking and, as far as 2016 goes, we simply couldn't host it by ourselves.

"We're meeting with the other home nations at the International Football Association board meeting in Belfast in February. I'm sure it's something we'll discuss.

"If there was a feeling that a bid was a possibility, we would then commission a feasibility study."

The move was welcomed by politicians in Scotland today.

Scottish Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "Ultimately it will be for the SFA to decide whether to bid to host Euro 2016.

"Given that Uefa has increased the number of teams that qualify for the finals to 24 from 2016 onwards, it would be a major challenge to meet the stadium requirements.

"But I'm sure every football fan in Europe would relish the possibility of their nation hosting or co-hosting such a prestigious and major event as football's European championship."

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray welcomed the prospect of a joint bid.
"Having the European football championships hosted in Scotland would be a wonderful opportunity for Scottish youngsters to see football at the highest level and follow on from both the Olympics Games in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014," said Mr Gray.

"Along with the bid from the English FA to host the World Cup in 2018, it would make an incredible decade of sport in the UK."

Tory sports spokesman in Scotland Jamie McGrigor called the move "a great idea".

"It is spine-tingling thinking about what a potential decade of British sport we could have lined up – London 2012, Glasgow 2014, Euro 2016 and, of course, there is the possibility that the World Cup could be brought to these shores in 2018 as well," he said.

"There is real potential for Scotland to host the 2016 European Championships.

"Like Glasgow 2014, it would provide another boost to Scottish sportsmen and provide long-term sporting inspiration for youngsters.

"I look forward to the SFA making a sound case for submitting a bid and taking this idea forward."

Talks between the SFA and the Football Association of Wales (FAW) over a joint bid have been mooted for more than a year, with the FAW revealing in April 2007 that it hoped to enter into discussions.

But today is the first time the SFA has confirmed such talks have taken place.

An FAW spokesman said "very tentative" discussions have been ongoing for some time.

He added: "We are interested in the idea and it's a question of where it goes from there."

Uefa general secretary David Taylor insisted Scotland would be a "great place" to hold the tournament.

The former SFA chief executive, who was involved in the unsuccessful bid to bring Euro 2008 to Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, told the Herald newspaper: "It would be terrific. But I must be careful here.

"My enthusiasm for and advice to any country could be perceived in the wrong way. Many countries in Uefa are capable of hosting the tournament."