France plan to bid for the 2016 European soccer championship, Sports Minister Bernard Laporte said.

"We wish France to be a candidate," Laporte told French sports daily L'Equipe. "We want Euro 2016". French Football Federation officials met Laporte last week to present a project.

"I told them that France would obviously support it," said Laporte, who coached the French rugby team and joined the government after this year's rugby World Cup in the country. Laporte said France would submit its bid at the end of 2008 or early 2009.

France last staged the European championship finals in 1984, when they won the title. France also hosted the World Cup in 1998, which they won as well.

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