The 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship group stage ends on Tuesday, with 52 teams having been competing in nine groups for 15 slots alongside hosts Slovakia.
Qualifying began in March 2023 but most teams kicked off their campaigns last September. The nine group winners and the three best runners-up (not counting results against sixth-placed teams) will qualify directly for the final tournament from 11 to 28 June 2025.
In September’s games Netherlands and Spain both sealed qualification as group winners. Denmark, Germany and Portugal joined them on Friday while Ukraine and holders England are also into the finals, at worst among the three best runners-up.
The six runners-up not directly qualified will progress to the November play-offs for the last three finals spots, drawn at 12:00 CET on Thursday. The final tournament draw is in Bratislava on 3 December.
State of play
Qualified for finals: Denmark*, England (holders), Germany*, Netherlands*, Portugal*, Slovakia (hosts), Spain*, Ukraine
*Group winners
Confirmed in top two of group, not yet qualified: France, Italy, Poland**, Slovenia
**Confirmed in second place
Can also still win group: Finland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Switzerland
Can also still finish in top two of group: Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Georgia, Greece, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Wales
2025 U21 EURO qualifying matches
Pio Esposito (right) celebrates one of his four goals for Italy against San MarinoGetty Images
Group A: Italy, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Türkiye, Latvia, San Marino
Unbeaten Italy defeated San Marino 7-0 and won 3-0 in Norway in September to extend their lead at the top. Ireland can still overtake Italy if they win in Trieste on Tuesday following their 1-1 draw on Friday with Norway, who equalised in added time to stay within two points of their hosts. Norway will finish second if they beat Türkiye and Ireland do not win.
Group B: Spain (qualified), Belgium, Scotland, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Malta
Unbeaten Spain qualified in September with wins in Scotland and Hungary. Belgium won 2-0 in Scotland on Friday to move into outright second, three points ahead of their opponents. Scotland can still finish as runners-up if on Tuesday they win in Kazakhstan and Belgium lose to Hungary.
The Netherlands were the first team to qualify and won all ten of their Group C gamesGetty Images
Group C: Netherlands (qualified), Sweden, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Gibraltar
Netherlands qualified in September, and on Monday ensured they were the only team to finish qualifying with a perfect record as they won 3-0 against a Sweden side aiming to book a play-off slot. On Thursday, Sweden came from behind to beat Georgia 3-2 and move ahead of the 2023 quarter-finalists by a single point into second place. However, Georgia will pip Sweden to the play-offs if they defeat North Macedonia on Tuesday.
Germany beat Bulgaria to seal their finals spotGetty Images
Group D: Germany (qualified), Poland, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Estonia, Israel
Germany sealed their finals slot on Friday as they defeated Bulgaria 2-1. Poland made sure of second place with a 4-0 win in Kosovo, the only other side that could still have made the top two.
Group E: Romania, Switzerland, Finland, Albania, Montenegro, Armenia
Romania won 6-2 in Montenegro on Friday to go top as previous leaders Switzerland drew 1-1 with Finland, who would have been first rather than third had they not conceded an added-time equaliser. Romania meet Switzerland on Tuesday with the winners finishing top; if they draw, Finland will overtake both by beating Montenegro.
Every goal on England’s road to U21 glory
Group F: Ukraine (qualified), England (qualified), Serbia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan
Two late goals from James McAtee gave defending champions England a 2-1 comeback win against Ukraine, who had not previously dropped a point. And although that prevented Ukraine sealing first place as their lead was reduced to two points, results elsewhere means they qualified as at worst one of the three best runners-up. England joined Ukraine in the finals by the same criteria on Saturday as Azerbaijan were confirmed in sixth place following their loss in Northern Ireland and are confirmed in sixth place. First place is decided on Tuesday when Ukraine visit Serbia and England play Azerbaijan.
Group G: Portugal (qualified), Croatia, Greece, Faroe Islands, Belarus, Andorra
Portugal came from behind and struck two late goals for a 3-1 win in the Faroe Islands on Friday that ensured their finals place. Victory against Andorra took Croatia up to second ahead of Greece, who they welcome to Koprivnica on Tuesday to decide the runners-up slot.
Arnaud Kalimuendo (centre) celebrates his last-gasp winner for France in Bosnia and HerzegovinaFedja Krvavac
Group H: Slovenia, France, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus
Slovenia ensured both they and France were confirmed as the top two on Friday as they drew 1-1 with the only side that could still catch them, Austria. France won 3-0 in Cyprus and are within a point of Slovenia, who have now completed their fixtures. France will pip Slovenia to first place (at least on head-to-head record) if Les Bleuets avoid defeat against Austria on Tuesday.
Group I: Denmark (qualified), Wales, Czechia, Iceland, Lithuania
Denmark lost for the first time in September, going down 4-2 in Iceland, but returned to form as they defeated Czechia 5-0. And although they were not in action on Friday, Denmark were confirmed in the finals as they only side that could catch them, Wales, lost their last match 2-1 at home to Czechia. If Czechia beat Lithuania on Tuesday, they will finish second, ahead of Wales on head-to-head record. Denmark will still be first even if they lose to Iceland as they have a head-to-head advantage over both Wales individually, and both Czechia and Wales if all three end on 14 points.
U21 EURO qualifying team guideItaly and Spain have won a record five titles, followed by holders England and Germany (3), Netherlands (2) and Czechia, France, Serbia (as Yugoslavia) and Sweden as other former winners.England won the 2023 finals in Georgia and Romania, with Spain runners-up and both Israel and Ukraine making the semis. France, Georgia, Portugal and Switzerland fell in the quarter-finals, while Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Romania also took part.Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, San Marino and Wales began qualifying aiming to make the post-1994 one-venue finals for the first time.Albania and Bulgaria have never reached a one-venue U21 final tournament but did reach the knockout quarter-finals when the latter stages of the competition were entirely played over two legs before 1994.Georgia and Slovenia have only previously reached the final tournament as hosts.
Under-21 EURO: Great final goals
Group stage
24–28 March 2023
15–20 June 2023
6–12 September 2023
12–17 October 2023
16–21 November 2023
21–26 March 2024
7 June 2024 (resumption of abandoned match)
4–10 September 2024
10–15 October 2024
Play-offs
11–19 November 2024
2025 U21 EURO in Slovakia
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Publish date : 2024-10-12 10:41:00
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