Wolfgang Niersbach leaves 2016 evaluation process

UEFA has today announced that Wolfgang Niersbach from Germany, a member of the UEFA National Team Competitions Committee, will not be one of the selected delegates from the committee involved in the evaluation process relating to the bid procedure for UEFA EURO 2016.

As a delegate of the UEFA National Team Competitions Committee, Mr Niersbach would have had a role in preparing the evaluation report on the three bidding countries. However, he has proposed not to participate in the preparation of this report.

"Mr Niersbach's contribution to the National Team Competitions Committee has always been extremely valuable and professional, and we have absolutely no doubt that it will remain so," said UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino. "We have reached this decision together. The most important matter is that the neutrality of the bid compliance evaluation carried out by the committee remains above any possible doubts," concluded the general secretary.

The role of the National Team Competitions Committee in the bidding process of UEFA EURO 2016 is, together with the UEFA administration, to offer technical advice to the UEFA Executive Committee with respect to the compliance of the hosts of UEFA EURO 2016 with the bidding requirements. As Mr Niersbach will not be replaced, three delegates will supervise the work undertaken by experts helping to prepare the report.

The National Team Competitions Committee will make technical recommendations to the Executive Committee, and the key aspects of the bid and technical evaluations will be presented by National Team Competitions Committee delegates to the Executive Committee on 27 May, before a final decision on the hosts is made on 28 May.

The bidders will receive their respective section of the qualitative evaluation report by 29 April, to be able to prepare for a meeting with National Team Competitions Committee representatives and UEFA on 6 May. Here, they will be able to comment on their report before its public release. The final report will also be sent to the bidders, the Executive Committee and National Team Competitions Committee members on 14 May, and will be made public on UEFA.com and therefore accessible to media and public alike.