Sweden and Norway planned a joint bid for Euro 2016 football tournament, Sune Hellstromer, general secretary of the Swedish football federation SFF said on Tuesday.

The Swedish state broadcast SR quoted him as saying the necessary documents would likely be sent to the ruling body UEFA in autumn this year.

Hellstromer said that an expected increase of teams from 16 to 24 would pose no problem for both countries and each country would have four stadiums.

Sweden has hosted Euro 1992 with eight teams while Norway has never hosted a big football event before.

The European championships have been co-hosted by nations twice, by Belgium and the Netherlands in 2000 and the latest edition which ended Sunday by Austria and Switzerland.

(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2008)