2025 Under-21 EURO qualifying groups and state of play: Netherlands, Spain through
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
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Netherlands and Spain have qualified with ten more direct finals slots and six play-off berths to be decided by 15 October.
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Qualifying for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship is in progress with 52 teams 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 last set of matches run from 10 until 15 October but in September's games the Netherlands and Spain both sealed qualification as group winners.
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. The draw is in Bratislava on 3 December. The other six runners-up will progress to the November play-offs for the last three finals spots, drawn on 17 October.
State of play
Qualified for finals (group winners): Netherlands, Slovakia (hosts), Spain
Confirmed in top two of group: England (holders), Germany, Italy, Portugal, Ukraine
2025 U21 EURO qualifying groups
Group A: Italy, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Türkiye, Latvia, San Marino
Unbeaten Italy defeated San Marino 7-0 on Thursday and won 3-0 in Norway on Tuesday to extend their lead at the top. Ireland can still catch the Azzurrini having scored late to win 1-0 in Türkiye on Friday but were held 2-2 by Latvia on Tuesday and are four points adrift, though with two games left to Italy's one. Norway are two further points behind and on 11 October visit Ireland, who four days later go to Italy.
Group B: Spain (qualified), Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Malta
Unbeaten Spain moved into first position with a 2-1 victory in Scotland on Friday and then on Tuesday the 2023 runners-up made certain of a finals place by winning 1-0 in Hungary. Scotland won 5-0 in Malta and Belgium prevailed 3-0 in Kazakhstan but both trail Spain by six points and each have an inferior head-to-head record against the leaders. Scotland host Belgium on 11 October, having won their away meeting 2-0 last November.
Group C: Netherlands (qualified), Georgia, Sweden, North Macedonia, Moldova, Gibraltar
Netherlands qualified as they followed Thursday's 5-0 victory against North Macedonia by winning 3-1 against Georgia on Monday, remaining perfect after completing nine of their ten fixtures. Georgia, who beat Netherlands to the 2023 quarter-finals, had overcome Moldova 3-0 in Thursday and remain second, a point ahead of Sweden, who defeated Gibraltar 9-0 but then drew 0-0 in Moldova on Tuesday. Sweden host Georgia on 10 October.
Group D: Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Israel, Estonia
Germany followed their only dropped points, 0-0 against Kosovo in March, by beating Israel twice and on Tuesday won 10-1 in Estonia to stay clear at the top. However, they were made to wait to clinch first place as Poland came from behind to beat Bulgaria 3-1 and stay within four points. Bulgaria, six points behind Poland with an inferior head-to-head goal difference, cannot finish in the top two. Kosovo, level with Bulgaria after defeating Israel 1-0, can still catch Poland, but must beat them by at least three goals on 11 October to remain in contention.
Group E: Switzerland, Finland, Romania, Albania, Montenegro, Armenia
Switzerland bounced back from losing 2-1 at home to Albania with a 2-0 win in Montenegro that returned them to the top. Romania had beaten Montenegro 1-0 to take over in first place but then lost 2-0 in Finland to fall to third. Finland, who previously beat Armenia 3-1, are a point behind Switzerland but above Romania on head-to-head goal difference. Switzerland host Finland and visit Romania in October; Romania and Finland both also play Montenegro.
Group F: Ukraine, England (holders), Serbia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan
Ukraine have eight wins out of eight after a 2-1 defeats of Serbia and Northern Ireland. England (with Ben Futcher in interim charge, as 2023-winning coach Lee Carlsey has taken over the senior side on a caretaker basis), were held 0-0 in Northern Ireland on Friday and are five points behind Ukraine, who they welcome on 11 October. Ukraine and England are the confirmed top two.
Group G: Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Belarus, Andorra
Portugal are sure of a top-two finish after their 2-0 win in Croatia on Tuesday, following up their 5-1 victory in March. Greece moved up to second with a 4-0 victory in the Faroe Islands but are four points behind Portugal with only one game left. Croatia, a point further adrift but with two to play, can still catch Portugal, though not if the leaders avoid defeat away to either the Faroes or Andorra in October. Croatia play Andorra before hosting Greece.
Group H: Slovenia, France, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus
Slovenia retained pole position following Friday's 1-1 draw in France and then beat Cyprus 2-0 on Tuesday. Austria had gone second by winning 2-0 in Bosnia and Herzegovina but France, whose coach Theirry Henry stepped down in August to be replaced by assistant Gérald Baticle, beat the same team by the same scoreline to return to the top two and are within three points of Slovenia with a game in hand and a superior head-to-head record. Austria, two points further back, welcome Slovenia on 11 October and four days later visit France, who before that go to Cyprus.
Group I: Denmark, Wales, Iceland, Czechia, Lithuania
Leaders Denmark lost for the first time on Friday, going down 4-2 in Iceland, but returned to form on Tuesday as they defeated Czechia 5-0. Wales, meanwhile, won 2-1 in Iceland and now only trail Denmark on head-to-head record. Iceland are five points behind and Czechia six adrift, but both have two games left to their leading pair's one each. Wales host Czechia on 11 October and four days later Denmark play Iceland.
U21 EURO qualifying team guide
- Italy 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.
U21 EURO qualifying match dates
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