Turkey, France, Italy among potential Euro 2016 bidders

Turkey, France and Italy will bid to host Euro 2016 with Norway and Sweden also interested in co-hosting the expanded tournament, UEFA said on Tuesday.

• Monday was the deadline for countries to register their interest in holding the championship, which will have 24 teams for the first time.
• UEFA said in a statement that bid dossiers will have to presented by Feb. 15, 2010 and that a final decision will be made on or around May 27 next year.
• Italy, which last hosted the World Cup in 1990, missed out on the next European Championship tournament in 2012 to Ukraine and Poland because of a hooligan problem and the crumbling state of stadiums in Serie A.
• Turkey and Norway have never hosted a major international soccer tournament while Sweden held the World Cup in 1958 and Euro 92.
• France won the World Cup in 1998 when they last hosted a major tournament.
• Media reports last year said Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were interested in bidding for Euro 2016 but UEFA said it was opposed to three nation-bids.
• Austria and Switzerland co-hosted Euro 2008, which was won by Spain.