The Executive Committee of European soccer's ruling body said in a statement they had "no choice" but to allow the disputed territory provisional membership following an earlier decision by CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in July.

The statement also pointed out that FIFA, world soccer's governing body, had determined earlier this week that Gibraltar "does not meet the statutory requirements to become a FIFA member."

As a result of Friday's decision, Gibraltar's application for full membership is now set to be discussed at UEFA's Congress in Dusseldorf in January.

The application is rigorously opposed by Spain which claims sovereignty over the British-controlled territory.

UEFA Chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson told a media conference that the Executive Committee was not in favour of Gibraltar's full membership but that its hands were effectively tied by the CAS decision.

"Theoretically we could have said no," Olsson said.

"But when you have a legal Executive Committee have already spoken positively about the idea itself," Olsson added.

The idea of an expanded European Championships was put to UEFA by the Scottish football association with support from the Republic of Ireland, Latvia and Sweden.

One drawback to a 24-team tournament is that it does not easily lend itself to a natural elimination progression as a 16-team or 32-team tournament does.

The World Cups from 1982-1994 consisted of 24 teams with awkward elimination processes involved in the middle of those tournaments.

The European Championship was comprised a mini-final tournament of four teams from 1960-1976 and was expanded to eight teams in 1980 then 16 teams in 1996.