French snub Italy's Euro 2016 olive branch

MILAN: Italy would be willing to co-host Euro 2016 with fierce rivals France, the Italian soccer federation president said on Monday but the French poured cold water on the notion saying they wanted to go it alone.

UEFA said last week that Italy, France and Turkey were considering single bids with Norway and Sweden looking at co-hosting the championship, which will be the first to have 24 teams.

"We do not have a problem with a joint bid for Euro 2016. If it were France, it would be a friendly and neighboring country. If it were not technically and politically possible, we would go ahead alone," Giancarlo Abete told Italian radio.