The European Championships look certain to be expanded from 16 to 24 teams after the proposal won universal support from Uefa’s 53 member countries.

A final decision will be taken by the body’s executive committee in September, but there was no opposition to the plan when it was raised at a meeting of association presidents and general secretaries in Vienna today.

The change, which would come into force for Euro 2016, was originally put forward by the Scottish FA last year. Gordon Smith, the Scottish chief executive, expressed delight at the response.

He said: “It’s something Uefa have seen no real disadvantage to — it will only mean a few extra days of the tournament and there is no downside in terms of loss of revenue.

“The feeling in the meeting was that everyone else was in favour as well. There’s an appetite for it, everyone appreciated the advantages and no one spoke against it.

“It will make the qualifying competition more attractive as more teams come into the mix and that will keep the group alive longer. We just missed out for this tournament behind Italy and France but under the proposed new regulations we would have qualified.”

An Italian Football Federation spokesman said: “It was 100%, it will happen for 2016 and it will boost the smaller nations.”

Michael Platini, the Uefa president, had earlier insisted that increasing the size of the tournament would not affect its quality.

He said: “Remember, I won the Euros [in 1984] when there were only eight teams. It is not certain it was better with eight teams than 16 or that 16 is better than 24 or 32 or 54.

“I am not worried about the quality by increasing the number of teams.”

Platini said he believed many smaller countries like Denmark, Scotland, Ireland and Serbiahad the quality to take part. “They . . . could even enhance the quality of the competition.”

The European Championship finals were between just four teams from 1960 until 1976, rising to eight teams in 1980. The first 16-team finals were at Euro ’96 in England.

Warning to Poland and Ukraine: Platini yesterday issued a stiff warning to Euro 2012 hosts Poland and Ukraine to hurry up stadium development.

Platini is to head a top-level inspection trip to the two eastern European countries next week, and will focus on the stadiums in

Warsaw and Kiev. He will demand guarantees from the organisers that the two stadiums will be ready. Work has not started on the new stadium in the Polish capital, while contractors have not been appointed yet for the major refurbishment of the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.

However, Platini denied that Italy have already been lined up as replacements.

He said: “We will do everything we can to hold it in Poland and Ukraine. There is no back-up plan, we have never had any second thoughts or other thoughts and we respect our decision to go to Poland and Ukraine."