Futsal EURO 2022, Netherlands: All you need to know
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Article summary
Portugal retained the UEFA Futsal EURO title after winning the 2022 edition held in Amsterdam and Groningen from 19 January to 6 February.
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Portugal emerged triumphant at UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 after rallying from 2-0 down to defeat Russia 4-2 in the final. That was the closing chapter of the 12th edition of the competition and the first since the switch from a biennial 12-team tournament to a 16-nation finals held every four years.
The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) staged the finals in Amsterdam and Groningen, with the action running from 19 January to 6 February. It was the Netherlands' first major tournament in the sport since hosting the inaugural FIFA Futsal World Cup in 1989.
Seven-time winners Spain completed the podium by beating Ukraine 4-1 in the match for third place.
Winners: Portugal
Runners-up: Russia
Third place: Spain
Fourth place: Ukraine
Player of the Tournament: Zicky Té (Portugal)
Top scorer: Birzhan Orazov (Kazakhstan)
Schedule
The 16 contenders were drawn into four groups of four on 18 October at the KNVB Campus in Zeist. The top two in each group progressed to the knockout phase, starting with the quarter-finals.
FINAL/THIRD-PLACE MATCH
Sunday 6 February
Final
Portugal 4-2 Russia
Third-place match
Spain 4-1 Ukraine
SEMI-FINALS
Friday 4 February
Ukraine 2-3 Russia
Portugal 3-2 Spain
QUARTER-FINALS
Tuesday 1 February:
Russia 3-1 Georgia
Spain 5-1 Slovakia
Monday 31 January:
Portugal 3-2 Finland
Kazakhstan 3-5 Ukraine
GROUP STAGE
Saturday 29 January
Group C
Slovakia 5-3 Croatia
Russia 5-1 Poland
Group D
Georgia 0-8 Spain
Azerbaijan 4-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Friday 28 January
Group B
Kazakhstan 4-1 Italy
Slovenia 1-2 Finland
Group A
Ukraine 0-1 Portugal
Netherlands 2-3 Serbia
Wednesday 26 January
Group D
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Georgia
Spain 2-2 Azerbaijan
Tuesday 25 January
Group C
Croatia 0-4 Russia
Poland 2-2 Slovakia
Monday 24 January
Group B
Italy 2-2 Slovenia
Finland 2-6 Kazakhstan
Sunday 23 January
Group A
Serbia 1-6 Ukraine
Portugal 4-1 Netherlands
Saturday 22 January
Group D
Georgia 3-2 Azerbaijan
Spain 5-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Friday 21 January
Group C
Russia 7-1 Slovakia
Poland 1-3 Croatia
Thursday 20 January
Group B
Kazakhstan 4-4 Slovenia
Italy 3-3 Finland
Wednesday 19 January
Group A
Serbia 2-4 Portugal
Netherlands 3-2 Ukraine
Qualifying
A record 50 teams entered the competition with 49 competing to join the Netherlands, who have a bye to the finals.
Qualifying was in four stages:
Qualifying round: The 33 teams not involved in the Futsal World Cup elite round competed in mini-tournaments. The nine group winners progressed direct to the qualifying group stage. The nine runners-up and the five third-placed teams with the best record against the top two in their section went to the qualifying round play-offs.
Qualifying round play-offs: The 14 teams competed in two-legged ties for the remaining seven qualifying group stage spots.
Qualifying group stage: The 16 teams who took part in the Futsal World Cup elite round joined the 16 that came through the qualifying round groups or play-offs. For the first time in Futsal EURO history, the eight groups of four teams competed home and away over a period of several months rather than in one-venue mini-tournaments. The eight group winners and six best runners-up qualify direct for the finals.
Play-off: The two runners-up who did not progress from the qualifying group stage (Serbia and Belarus) met home and away, with a draw having determined the order of ties. The winners, Serbia, joined the other 15 contenders in the finals.
Venues
Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam: Group stage, knockouts
The 10,500-seater arena opened in 2012 and, as well as staging major indoor sports, it is a leading concert venue.
MartiniPlaza, Groningen: Group stage
The 3,900-seater arena opened in 1989 and was expanded in 2000. It has staged major tennis and basketball events as well as concerts and exhibitions. It is the home of the Donar basketball team.
Road to the Netherlands: calendar
Qualifying round draw: 7 November 2019
Qualifying round: 29 January–1 February 2020
Qualifying round play-off draw: 13 February 2020, Nyon
Qualifying round play-offs: 2 November–9 December 2020
Qualifying group stage & play-off draw: 2 September 2020, Nyon
Qualifying group stage: 6 December 2020–14 April 2021
Final tournament draw: 18 October 2021, Zeist
Play-offs: 14–17 November 2021
Final tournament: 19 January–6 February 2022, Netherlands
Past finals
2018: Portugal 3-2 Spain (aet): Ljubljana, Slovenia
2016: Spain 7-3 Russia: Belgrade, Serbia
2014: Italy 3-1 Russia; Antwerp, Belgium
2012: Spain 3-1 Russia (aet); Zagreb, Croatia
2010: Spain 4-2 Portugal; Debrecen, Hungary
2007: Spain 3-1 Italy; Porto, Portugal
2005: Spain 2-1 Russia; Ostrava, Czech Republic
2003: Italy 1-0 Ukraine; Caserta, Italy
2001: Spain 2-1 Ukraine (golden goal); Moscow, Russia
1999: Russia 3-3 Spain (aet, 4-3 pens); Granada, Spain
1996*: Spain 5-3 Russia; Córdoba, Spain
*UEFA European Futsal Tournament, championship status from 1999 onwards