Welcome to the Under-19 EURO!
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
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UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin previews the UEFA Under-19 Championship in Northern Ireland, alongside Irish Football Association (IFA) president Conrad Kirkwood.
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Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president
Welcome to Northern Ireland for the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals!
We are delighted that the Irish Football Association can finally host this prestigious tournament. I want to thank the association and its president, Conrad Kirkwood, for their patience and tireless efforts to ensure the event's success.
Over the years, the Under-19 European Championship has proven to be an important platform for launching flourishing international careers. Notable players such as Kylian Mbappé, Manuel Neuer, Nicolò Barella and Harry Kane left a memorable mark on this stage before advancing to their senior squads, emphasising the tournament's importance. It is a unique chance for young fans to see the stars of tomorrow in action, and I am confident this tournament will inspire many to follow in their footsteps.
Hosts Northern Ireland are now joined by the seven best teams from the qualifiers, each ready for the final push to claim this prestigious European trophy. I wish them all to be on top of their games and may the best one win!
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Conrad Kirkwood, IFA president:
I am delighted to welcome the players, officials and fans of the finalists to the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championships in Northern Ireland.
I hope you will all enjoy your stay in our country as we host the finals of this tournament for a second time, after first hosting the event in 2005. It is a great honour for us to be staging the tournament again and we are looking forward to seeing some of the best young players in Europe in action over the next couple of weeks.
Well done to the teams who have battled through intense qualifying rounds to make it to what I believe will be an enthralling festival of football. Naturally, we would like our U19 side to do well, and I wish team manager Gareth McAuley and his players all the best for the tournament.
I also hope the other finalists enjoy the experience. May the best team win.