Futsal EURO qualifying group stage report

The first UEFA Futsal EURO home-and-away qualifying group stage has been completed, with four debutants among the teams confirmed in the finals.

The eight group winners and the six best runners-up join hosts the Netherlands in the finals from 19 January to 6 February 2022. The remaining two runners-up, Serbia and Belarus, will play off for the other berth from 14–17 November 2021.

• Final group standings

Qualified teams

Hosts: Netherlands
Group winners: Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Croatia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal (holders), Russia, Spain
Six best runners-up: Finland*, Georgia*, Poland, Slovakia*, Slovenia, Ukraine

*Debut

Play-off

Serbia vs Belarus

Qualifying groups: results and fixtures

Futsal EURO 2018 final highlights

Group 1: Croatia (qualified), Ukraine (qualified), Denmark, Albania

• Croatia qualified as group winners.
• Ukraine qualified as one of the six best runners-up.

Croatia finished on maximum pointsGetty Images

Results
11 April: Ukraine 5-0 Albania*, Croatia 7-0 Denmark
8 April: Ukraine 8-2 Denmark
7 April: Denmark 2-6 Ukraine (played in Zaporizhia), Albania 0-3 Croatia
7 March: Ukraine 2-7 Croatia
4 March: Denmark 2-3 Albania (played in Tirana)
3 March: Croatia 3-2 Ukraine, Albania 1-3 Denmark
31 January: Albania 3-10 Ukraine
30 January: Denmark 1-4 Croatia
27 January: Croatia 4-1 Albania

*Match cancelled

Group 2: Russia (qualified), Georgia (qualified), France, Armenia

Russia beat Armenia on Friday to secure first placeRFS

• Russia qualified as group winners.
• Georgia qualified as one of the best runners-up.

Results
14 April: France 5-1 Armenia
12 April: Russia 3-0 Georgia
9 April: Armenia 2-5 Russia, Georgia 3-2 France
10 March: Armenia 2-3 Georgia
9 March: Russia 5-1 France
5 March: France 2-3 Russia, Georgia 5-0 Armenia
3 February: Armenia 4-4 France
2 February: Georgia 0-4 Russia
29 January: Russia 6-0 Armenia
8 December: France 4-4 Georgia

Group 3: Azerbaijan (qualified), Slovakia (qualified), Moldova, Greece

• Azerbaijan qualified as group winners.
• Slovakia qualified as one of the best runners-up.

Azerbaijan's last-minute equaliser in Slovakia clinched Group 3 first placeSFZ

Results
14 April: Azerbaijan 4-0 Greece
13 April: Moldova 0-4 Slovakia
9 April: Greece 3-3 Moldova
8 April: Slovakia 1-1 Azerbaijan
9 March: Moldova 3-5 Azerbaijan
7 March: Greece 0-5 Slovakia
4 March: Azerbaijan 5-1 Moldova, Slovakia 6-0 Greece
2 February: Greece 0-3 Azerbaijan, Slovakia 4-4 Moldova
29 January: Azerbaijan 4-1 Slovakia
28 January: Moldova 3-1 Greece

Group 4: Bosnia and Herzegovina (qualified), Serbia (play-off), Romania, North Macedonia

Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched first place in the group in just four games to earn a finals debutFedja Krvavac

• Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified as group winners.
• Serbia go into the play-offs.

Results
14 April: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-3 Serbia, Romania 9-1 North Macedonia
9 April: Serbia 4-4 Romania
8 April: North Macedonia 2-3 Bosnia and Herzegovina
10 March: Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-0 Romania
9 March: North Macedonia 1-6 Serbia
5 March: Serbia 1-1 North Macedonia
4 March: Romania 2-3 Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 February: Serbia 2-4 Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia 2-2 Romania
28 January: Romania 2-2 Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1 North Macedonia

Kazakhstan won all six of their gamesKFF

Group 5: Kazakhstan (qualified), Belarus (play-off), Hungary, Israel

• Kazakhstan qualified as group winners.
• Belarus go into the play-offs.

Results
13 April: Belarus 5-2 Hungary
11 April: Kazakhstan 4-0 Israel
9 April: Israel 1-4 Kazakhstan (played in Nur-Sultan)
6 April: Hungary 1-6 Kazakhstan, Belarus 14-0 Israel
10 March: Israel 1-4 Hungary
8 March: Belarus 1-6 Kazakhstan
3 March: Hungary 3-7 Israel
2 March: Kazakhstan 5-2 Belarus
3 February: Hungary 2-1 Belarus
9 December: Kazakhstan 5-0 Hungary
8 December: Israel 0-3 Belarus

Group 6: Spain (qualified), Slovenia (qualified), Latvia, Switzerland

Spain secured maximum pointsRFEF

• Spain qualified as group winners.
• Slovenia qualified as one of the best runners-up.

Results
12 April: Slovenia 5-3 Latvia, Spain 14-0 Switzerland
10 April: Switzerland 0-8 Spain (played in Madrid)
8 April: Latvia 4-1 Switzerland
9 March: Latvia 1-12 Spain, Switzerland 1-11 Slovenia
6 March: Slovenia 1-2 Spain
5 March: Switzerland 2-4 Latvia
2 February: Spain 3-1 Slovenia
29 January: Latvia 0-1 Slovenia
8 December: Spain 7-0 Latvia, Slovenia 12-1 Switzerland

Group 7: Italy (qualified), Finland (qualified), Belgium, Montenegro

• Italy qualified as group winners.
• Finland qualified as one of the best runners-up.
• Belgium became the first team ever to beat Italy in a Futsal EURO qualifier (the Azzurri had won 34 and drawn the other of their previous 35).

Italy topped Group 7Getty Images

Results
13 April: Finland 3-2 Belgium, Italy 2-0 Montenegro
9 April: Montenegro 1-2 Finland
8 April: Belgium 5-4 Italy
9 March: Italy 4-1 Belgium
8 March: Finland 6-1 Montenegro
5 March: Finland 2-4 Italy
4 March: Montenegro 4-3 Belgium
2 February: Italy 7-4 Finland, Belgium 6-2 Montenegro
28 January: Montenegro 0-3 Italy, Belgium 3-3 Finland

Holders Portugal will defend their title in the NetherlandsAndré Sanano via Portuguese Football Federation

Group 8: Portugal (holders, qualified), Poland (qualified), Czech Republic, Norway

• Portugal qualified as group winners with victory against Norway.
• Poland qualified as one of the best runner-up.

Results
14 April: Poland 8-5 Czech Republic, Portugal 4-0 Norway
12 April: Norway 1-7 Portugal (played in Mafra)
9 April: Czech Republic 3-3 Poland
9 March: Czech Republic 1-5 Portugal (played in Łódź)
8 March: Poland 4-1 Norway
6 March: Portugal 3-3 Czech Republic (played in Łódź)
5 March: Norway 0-3 Poland (played in Łódź)
3 February: Poland 0-3 Portugal
1 February: Norway 0-5 Czech Republic*
29 January: Portugal 2-2 Poland, Czech Republic 5-0 Norway*

*Matches cancelled

• The finals have now expanded to 16 teams and are played every four years rather than every two
• Portugal aim to defend the title they won for the first time in Slovenia in 2018
• Spain have won seven titles (including the initial 1996 tournament before Futsal EURO gained championship status in 1999)
• Two-time champions Italy and 1999 winners Russia, along with Spain, have played in every final tournament
• Had never previously qualified: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland
• Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Spain along with hosts Lithuania will compete at the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup from 12 September to 3 October.

Contenders

• The teams who competed in the FIFA Futsal World Cup elite round: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal (holders), Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine
• The nine qualifying round group winners: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Norway, Poland
• The seven qualifying round play-off winners: Armenia, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Switzerland