UEFA's chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson said European football's governing body had discussed the idea during its Executive Committee meeting on Thursday and Friday and agreed to put it to UEFA's Congress in Dusseldorf at the end of January.

The Congress will not vote on the expansion itself, but simply on whether the idea should be the subject of a feasibility study.

Olsson said the proposal could nevertheless become a reality in time for Euro 2012. Ukraine-Poland and Croatia-Hungary have made joint bids to hold Euro 2012, with Italy mounting a solo bid. UEFA is due to announce the winning bid in April next year.

"Individual members of the structure which recognises CAS as the Supreme Court in sporting matters then it would have been strange to recognise the court but not follow its decision."

Olsson said it would now be up to UEFA's Congress to have the final say, adding that Gibraltar would be given a chance to present its case to the organisation's members.

He warned though that any decision to admit Gibraltar could have ramifications far beyond the disputed territory.

UEFA changed its rules accordingly in 2001 but the ruling from CAS noted that Gibraltar's original application had been made two years earlier.

The court stopped short of ordering automatic full membership for the territory but said that the Congress should make its final decision "on the basis of the rules applicable at the time of the initial request - and excluding the application of the rules introduced subsequently."