The 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals will be played in Georgia and Romania.
important dates
Draw for the final phase: 18 October (6 p.m.), Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest
Final phase: from June 21 to July 8, Georgia and Romania
The tournament is set to take place in four stadiums in Romania (two in Cluj-Napoca and two in Bucharest) and four stadiums in Georgia (Batumi, Kutaisi and two in Tbilisi). The opening match will take place in Romania and the final will take place in Georgia.
Romania previously hosted the Under-21 finals in 1998 in Bucharest, one of the venues for UEFA EURO 2020 and which hosted the 2012 UEFA Europa League final. Romania also hosted the EURO U19 in 2011 and should do so again in 2025.
Georgia hosted the 2017 U19 EURO while the 2015 UEFA Super Cup was played in Tbilisi, as was the 2013 UEFA Futsal Cup finals.
The draw for the final round of the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest on Tuesday 18 October (6 p.m.), will involve 16 teams, Georgia and Romania, co-host countries, the nine group winners, the best runner-up and the four winners of the play-offs which were played on 23 and 27 September.
The qualifiers
Germany (holders), England, Belgium, Croatia (play-offs), Spain, France, Georgia (hosts), Israel (play-offs), Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania (hosts), Switzerland (best second), Czechia (dams), Ukraine (dams)
The 16 qualified teams will be split into four groups of four for the final tournament, with the four winners and four runners-up from each section reaching the quarter-finals. There will be a standard knockout format from this round.
Stadiums
Georgia
Batumi, Batumi Arena: 3 Group C matches, semi-final, final
Kutaisi, Ramaz Shengelia Stadium: 3 Group C matches, quarter-finals
Tbilisi, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium: 3 Group A matches, quarter-finals
Tbilisi, Boris Paichadze stadium: 3 Group A matches (including those of Georgia)
Romania
Bucarest, Giulești stadium: 3 matches of Group B, quarter finals
Bucharest, Steaua stadium: 3 Group B matches (including those of Romania), semi-final
Cluj-Napoca, home of CFR Cluj: 3 Group D matches
Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Arena: 3 Group D matches, quarter-finals
Provisional timetable
Group A/Group B: June 21, 24, 27
Group C/Group D: June 22, 25, 28
Quarters: July 1 and 2
Semi-finals: July 5
Final: July 8
Knockout stage
Quarter-final 1: winner of Group A – second in Group C (1is July, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi)
Quarter-final 2: Group C winners – Group A runners-up (July 2, Ramaz Shengelia Stadium, Kutaisi)
Quarter-final 3: winner of Group B – second in Group D (1is juillet, Stade Giulesti de Bucarest)
Quarter-final 4: winner of Group D – second in Group B (July 2, Cluj Arena in Cluj-Napoca)
Semi-final 1: winner of quarter-final 1 – winner of quarter-final 2 (July 5, Batumi Arena in Batumi)
Semi-final 2: winner of quarter-final 3 – winner of quarter-final 4 (July 5, Steaua stadium in Bucharest)
Final: winner of semi-final 1 – winner of semi-final 2 (July 8, Batumi Arena in Batumi)
2024 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament
Europe is awarded three places for the 2024 men’s Olympic football tournament, not counting the host country France, which automatically qualifies. The first three of the U21 final phase (outside France) will qualify for the Olympics.
All host countries
16 teams
2021 : Hungary and Slovenia
12 teams
2019 : Italy
2017 : Pologne
8 teams
2015 : Czech Republic
2013 : Israel
2011 : Denmark
2009 : Sweden
2007 : Netherlands
2006 : Portugal
2004 : Germany
2002 : Suisse
2000 : Slovakia
1998 : Romania
1996 : Spain
1994 : France
Before 1994, the quarter-finals were played over two home and away matches.
Awards
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
2021: Germany 1-0 Portugal
2019: Spain 2-1 Germany
2017: Germany 1-0 Spain
2015: Sweden 0-0, 4-3 pens Portugal
2013: Spain 4-2 Italy
2011: Spain 2-0 Switzerland
2009: Germany 4-0 England
2007: Netherlands 4-1 Serbia
2006: Pays-Bas 3-0 Ukraine
2004: Italy 4-0 Serbia and Montenegro
2002: Czech Republic 0-0, 3-1 pens France
2000: Italy 2-1 Czech Republic
1998: Spain 1-0 Greece
1996: Italy 1-1, 4-2 pens Spain
1994: Italie 1-0 a.p. Portugal
1992: Italy 2-1 agg. Sweden
1990: Soviet Union 7-3 ag. Yugoslavia
1988: France 3-0 agg. Greece
1986: Spain 3-3 agg, 3-0p Italy
1984: England 3-0 agg. Spain
1982: England 5-4 agg. West Germany
1980: Soviet Union 1-0 agg. East Germany
1978: Yugoslavia 5-4 ag. East Germany
23-year-old UEFA European Demo Champion
1976: Soviet Union 3-2 agg. Hungary
1974: Hungary 6-3 agg. East Germany
1972: Czechoslovakia 5-3 tot. Soviet Union