European Soccer Championship
The UEFA European Championship is the main national soccer competition of the UEFA nations. Held every four years since 1960, it was originally called the European Nations Cup, changing to the name European Soccer Championship in 1968.
Until 1976 only four teams entered the final tournament. From 1980 eight teams competed and from 1996 sixteen teams played in the tournament. The competing teams are chosen by a series of qualifying games: in 1960 and 1964 through home and away play-offs; from 1968 through qualifying leagues and also play-off games. Until 1976, the host country was selected from the four finalists after they were determined through qualifying. Since the expansion of the final tournament starting from 1980, the host country/countries have been chosen beforehand and qualify automatically. Note that the defending champions have never been granted an automatic place in the finals.
The Soviet Union won the inaugural competition; Germany triumphed three times, twice as West Germany. France is the only other team to have won the tournament more than once.
A recent innovation has allowed more than one country to act as joint hosts. Belgium and the Netherlands were the first pair of countries to co-host the competition in 2000. In the edition of 2008 following their example Austria and Switzerland will be co-host the event from 7 to 29 of June
Selection of the host country or countries for the 2012 competition is currently in progress. The host will be chosen in December 2006 from a shortlist including Italy and joint bids from Poland/Ukraine and Croatia/Hungary.