With the 2012 European Champions Spain now safely back in their homes, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has switched its attention to another area - cloud hosting.

Computerweekly.com reports that the group will follow in the tracks of so many industry giants by basing its IT infrastructure in the cloud.

The website did indicate that the IT pros behind Michel Platini's group are moving for financial reasons, as cloud computing does provide businesses with a cost-effective solution. However, with an investment, UEFA could also easily up or downscale its IT requirements when required, while the tech staff behind European tournaments will be able to freely access files through their mobile devices.

Although some businesses will get drawn into a cloud investment purely on recommendation, UEFA's profile as the sole administrative body for Europe football meant that its cloud systems had to be tested thoroughly before a commitment was made. Small experiments were undertaken while the 2012 tournament was in full flow and, judging by recent reports, UEFA's ICT unit was pleased with the outcome.

Cloud technology assisted UEFA in two roles- providing international broadcasters with data, tools and services for use in their coverage, whilst making sure that the tournament itself was well organised.  

These aren't the only tests that UEFA's new investment will face, though. Talking to ihotdesk.com, the Association's senior service delivery manager for IT, Weynand Kuijpers said that as UEFA stage live events, it's imperative that the technology can withstand years of fixture lists, with complacency not an option.