UEFA praises Euro 2016 for competitiveness

UEFA has again backed the 24-team format for the European Championship at a meeting of its executive committee in Paris.

The committee "praised the competitiveness of the championship in its new 24-team format," said a statement which also thanked all those involved in the organisation of the tournament.

Tournament director Giorgio Marchetti had said European football's organising body was pleased with the expansion from 16 to 24 teams.

However he identified the period at the end of the group stage as one problem, when four of six third-placed teams have to be slotted into the last 16, giving some teams a long break while leaving others uncertain.

The executive committee meanwhile set up a compensation committee to oversee payment of UEFA's senior management including the president, and said detailed information would be disclosed in UEFA's financial report.