PARIS -- French Sports Minister Patrick Kanner says hosting the European Championship will provide an impact of €1.2 billion euros on France's struggling economy.
Kanner says at a press conference on Thursday that building or revamping stadiums and infrastructure in the 10 host cities has already led to 20,000 new jobs.
He added that hiring extra security agents for fan zones in the wake of the Paris attacks also helps job growth.
In a report prepared with the French sports ministry and the host cities, the OECD endorsed Kanner's figures and said Euro 2016 was expected to "leverage economic activity."
The tournament starts on June 10.