The Netherlands has been selected to host UEFA Women's EURO 2017, the first time the final tournament will involve 16 teams.

The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) was announced as hosts by the UEFA Executive Committee, meeting in Nyon today. The KNVB previously staged the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup as well as co-hosting UEFA EURO 2000 with Belgium. The final tournament will be played in July/August 2017.

UEFA Women's EURO 2017 will feature 16 teams playing a total of 31 matches following a decision by the UEFA Executive Committee at its meeting in Venice in December 2011. Qualifying is scheduled to begin in April 2015.

The Netherlands is looking forward to staging European women's football's blue-riband national-team competition, and is a worthy successor to Sweden who held a memorable final tournament in 2013, setting new benchmarks as far as stadium crowds, television audiences and public interest were concerned.

• Proposed venues

Breda: Stadium Rat Verlegh

Deventer: Stadium De Adelaarshorst

Doetinchem: Stadium De Vijverberg

Enschede: FC Twente Stadium

Rotterdam: Stadium Sparta-Het Kasteel

Tilburg: Stadium Koning Willem II

Utrecht: Stadium Galgenwaard

• Format

The 16 sides will be drawn into four groups of four, with the top two in each section progressing to the knockout phase.

• Entries

A record 47 nations have entered the competition including, for the first time at senior women's level, Andorra. The qualifying format and seedings will be confirmed ahead of the draw.



Road to the Netherlands

Preliminary round draw: 13.45CET, 19 January 2015, Nyon

Preliminary round: 4–9 April 2015

Qualifying group stage draw: 14.00CET, 13 April 2015, Nyon

Group stage dates: 14–22 September 2015, 19–27 October 2015, 23 November–1 December 2015, 18–26 January 2016, 29 February–9 March 2016, 4–12 April 2016, 30 May–7 June 2016, 12–20 September 2016

Play-off draw: 23 September 2016, Nyon

Play-offs: 17–25 October 2016

Final tournament draw: late 2016, Netherlands

Final tournament: July/August 2017, Netherlands

All dates are provisional and subject to change

COMPETITION REGULATIONS

Past finals

UEFA European Women's Championship

2013: Germany 1-0 Norway; Solna, Sweden

2009: Germany 6-2 England; Helsinki, Finland

2005: Germany 3-1 Norway; Blackburn, England

2001: Germany 1-0 Sweden (aet, golden goal); Ulm, Germany

1997: Germany 2-0 Italy; Oslo, Norway

1995: Germany 3-2 Sweden; Kaiserslautern, Germany

1993: Norway 1-0 Italy; Cesena, Italy

1991: Germany 3-1 Norway (aet); Aalborg, Denmark

UEFA European Competition for Representative Women's Teams

1989: West Germany 4-1 Norway; Osnabruck, West Germany

1987: Norway 2-1 Sweden; Oslo, Norway

1984: Sweden 1-1 England (4-3 pens); two legs, Gothenburg and Luton