Franz Beckenbauer confirmed that the 2016 European Championship finals will feature 24 teams. The next championships, in Poland and Ukraine in 2012, will be the last in the current 16-team format.

Beckenbauer, who is the vice-chairman of Uefa's development and technical assistance committee, said an official announcement will be made on Saturday. "It has been agreed," said Beckenbauer. "There are will be several reasons why this should happen. And the competition will not lose quality as a result."

The new format will feature six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group being joined by the four best runner-ups in an additional knock-out round before the quarter-finals.