The global rights contract is set to run until 2017 and will also cover the 2015 UEFA European under-21 Championship, the 2015 UEFA European Women's Championship and the 2016 UEFA Futsal Euro, although Euro 2016 will be the primary focus, according to UEFA.

"As part of the continued growth of national team football in Europe, UEFA Euro 2016 will for the first time feature 24 teams, delivering a significantly enhanced commercial platform with 65 per cent more matches and almost 80 per cent more tickets available for fans compared to the last edition," explained Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of UEFA Events SA.

"The official licensing programme is an important part of the event promotion allowing fans of all ages, in France as well as around the world, to connect with the competition.

"We look forward to working with IMG and using their expertise to together create a great range of UEFA Euro 2016 official licensed products."

IMG Licensing will seek licensees to design, produce and distribute ranges of fan lifestyle, fashion and leisure products to be sold across the globe ahead of and during Euro 2016 ©AFP/Getty Images



According to UEFA, IMG Licensing will develop an extensive licensing programme designed to reflect this growth and appeal to all segments of football and sports fans, enabling them to embrace the competitions through the touch point of official licensed products.

Working from its office in Paris, IMG Licensing will seek both core-category and creative licensees "to design, produce and distribute ranges of fan, lifestyle, fashion and leisure products to be sold throughout Europe and other worldwide markets".

Simon Gresswell, vice-president of IMG Licensing Europe, said: "We are honoured to be working with UEFA.

"Our aim will be to create a lasting relationship between the competition and its fans, maximising the role that Official Licensed Products can play in the overall commercial programme.

"UEFA Euro 2016 will be the biggest ever UEFA European Championships to date, and we are confident that the licensing activity will match the event's huge and growing popularity."

The 2016 UEFA European Championships will, for the first time, consist of 24 teams - having previously been made up of 16 teams - and is due to take place over a full month from June 10 to July 10.

The tournament will comprise 51 matches staged in 10 different cities across France.

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