Bidding for Euro finals

The bid documents were sent from The FA to arrive this morning at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Both stadiums will face extremely tough competition from some of Europe's leading venues but FA Chairman Geoff Thompson said: "We are delighted to be able to nominate two such excellent stadiums.

"English football now offers some of the best in the world and we believe that Wembley and the City of Manchester Stadium would be wonderful host venues for UEFA's competitions."

For a bid to be successful, UEFA require the backing of the local authorities and both submissions include letters of support from local government.

Michael Cunnah, Chief Executive of Wembley National Stadium Limited said: "We are very grateful for the support and co-operation of Mayor Livingstone and Brent Council, whose backing for Wembley Stadium has been essential, both in getting the project underway and in enabling us to table this bid.

"In Wembley's case, although the stadium is not due to open until 2006, it is a stadium designed to stage the biggest events in sport and entertainment and there are few bigger than the UEFA Champions League Final."

Manchester City Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh said: "The City of Manchester Stadium is one of Europe's finest and iconic new homes of football.

"It would be the perfect venue for a UEFA Cup Final.

"We have already hosted all the games in England's pre-Euro 2004 tournament and the stadium is established as an exciting concert venue. Later this month we are also staging the Great Britain-Australia Tri Nations rugby league test match.

"Our close partnership with Manchester City Council and Manchester Airport has been important in achieving this nomination."

England has not hosted the UEFA Cup Final since it became a one-off event in 1997/98 but Old Trafford hosted the UEFA Champions League Final in 2003.

London has not hosted European football's showpiece final since 1992, when the old Wembley Stadium staged the European Cup Final between Barcelona and Sampdoria.

Wembley Stadium - Past European Finals

Wembley has previously hosted five European Cup Finals and two European Cup Winners' Cup finals.