European championships to be expanded?

[Guy Fawkes]

The European Championships are on course to be expanded from 16 to 24 teams after Uefa's 53 member countries gave the proposal universal support.

(from Sky sports)

 

[surrey jim]

how many countries are there in europe

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Would England find it any easier to qualify ??

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I presumed this was to make it easier for footballing minnows like Scotland to qualify.

Then I remembered the tabloid photos of Kop Star Steven Gerrard and His Stunning Wife Alex Soaking Up The Caribbean Sun this week, and the truth dawned on me...

 

[Leekbrookgull]

I would not call us giants !!

 

[che]

I presumed this was to make it easier for footballing minnows like Scotland to qualify.

Then I remembered the tabloid photos of Kop Star Steven Gerrard and His Stunning Wife Alex Soaking Up The Caribbean Sun this week, and the truth dawned on me...

You forget England

 

[Lady Whistledown]

That was my point, as I read about Gerrard, Ashley Cole, John Terry etc, splashing around in various WAG hotspots over the last few weeks, while their European counterparts, (the ones who actually bother to make the most of their ability and justify their salaries, unlike the England "stars"), ran proudly out in Basel and Vienna.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Dont like it, to be honest id rather keep 16 european teams going to the world cup instead of further reducing it

 

[Marty McFly]

how many countries are there in europe

According to Wikipedia...

UEFA has 53 member countries, and there are 48 (49 if you include Vatican city) countries in Europe.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You don't have to be a country, or even part of the same continent, to be in UEFA anyway, so the possibilities are endless.

The Faroe Islands are technically a province of Denmark, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are part of the UK, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Israel aren't even in Europe.

Let's bring in Greenland, surely even England would fancy their chances against them.

 

[che]

It is only for money money money

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

how many european countries are capable of hosting a 24 team tournament?

 

[che]

how many european countries are capable of hosting a 24 team tournament?

Good point

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Good point

and the answer is, unsuprisingly:- england, france, germany, spain and italy

getting the power back to the 'old boys' before the new kids from the east get ideas above their station

 

[Easy 10]

Pathetic decision.
The tournament will be cluttered up with absolute deadwood. Whats made this tournament in particular such a great spectacle is the quality of teams involved. Now there's going to be a load of complete no-hopers just there for autographs and shirt-swapping.

Typical UEFA f*** up. Expanding the Euros to 24 teams has NO merits whatsoever.
Except money.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I guess that would mean four groups of six, with each team playing five matches?

I would certainly welcome an expansion to include further countries. It gets rather dull with the same names every time. It would also mean that there are less meaning less games in the primary qualification stages.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Pathetic decision.
The tournament will be cluttered up with absolute deadwood. Whats made this tournament in particular such a great spectacle is the quality of teams involved. Now there's going to be a load of complete no-hopers just there for autographs and shirt-swapping.

Typical UEFA f*** up. Expanding the Euros to 24 teams has NO merits whatsoever.
Except money.

i agree, what has made this more exciting is that, unlike the world cup, there are very few POOR nations- i'd say of the 16, only really austria and perhaps switzerland are actually poor, increasing the tournament will allow in more teams that are shit, and thus seeing more LOW QUALITY MATCHES

 

[Easy 10]

I guess that would mean four groups of six, with each team playing five matches?

I would certainly welcome an expansion to include further countries. It gets rather dull with the same names every time. It would also mean that there are less meaning less games in the primary qualification stages.

6 groups of 4, same as the World Cup.
24 teams from Europe in the Finals ? Sheesh, it'll be practically impossible NOT to qualify.