French Sports Minister Bernard Laporte said that France would bid to host the 2016 European Football Championship.

“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. France will submit its bid at the end of 2008 or early 2009.