PARIS: Last year’s European Championship generated a €1.22bn economic investment in host nation France, according to a government-commissioned report.

It said that 2.5 million fans attended the games even as France extended a state of emergency and intelligence agencies warned of the threat of militant attacks during the month-long tournament.

The report, unveiled by the Centre of Law and Economics of Sport and the Keneo agency, said fans spent an average of 154 euros per day during their average 7.9 day stays – with just over a third of that amount being spent on accommodation.

According to the document, €75m, including €70m in VAT, went to the French state.

Organiser UEFA was exempted from taxation in 2014 but French sports minister Patrick Kanner said that it remained a “good operation economically”.

He said: “UEFA did not pay taxes but they paid €20m to rent stadiums, €20m to finance the cities and €5m for the fan zones.”

#############