Futsal EURO 2026 play-offs: Italy, Belgium, Georgia, Hungary qualify for finals

Italy, Belgium, Georgia and Hungary are through to the UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 finals after the play-offs decided the last four berths.

While the ten main round group winners (including Slovenia) progressed directly to the finals to join Latvia and Lithuania from 21 January to 7 February 2026, the eight best main round runners-up met over two legs to decide the last four places in the finals draw on 24 October in Kaunas.

Two-time champions Italy pot the better of Kazakhstan on penalties and Georgia held off a Slovakia comeback in Tuesday's deciders. On Wednesday, Hungary scored late to draw 2-2 in Romania and win 5-4 on aggregate before Belgium saw off the challenge of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Second legs

Wednesday 24 September

Romania 2-2 Hungary (agg: 4-5)
Baltazár Büki scored with less than two minutes left in Craiova send Hungary into their first final tournament since an equally dramatic play-off defeat of Romania almost exactly a decade ago.

Darius Nastai levelled the aggregate scores in the fifth minute but János Rábl edged Hungary back ahead. Daniel Araujo's 15th-minute goal for Romania made it 4-4 overall but with extra time looming, Rábl pounced the rebound from a parried shot to back-heel into the path of first-leg double scorer Büki to shoot in.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-1 Belgium (agg: 2-8)
Belgium added to their big lead from the home leg to reach the finals for the first time since hosting in 2014. Marvin Ghisland, also on target in Antwerp last week, scored the only goal on 28 minutes in Zenica to give Belgium victory on the night.

Tuesday 23 September

Kazakhstan 3-2 Italy (aet, agg: 4-4, Italy win 2-0 on penalties)
Having been without Douglas Junior, Leo and Birzhan Orazov for the first leg, Kazakhstan welcomed back the trio in Astana and struck early through Dauren Tursagulov. Matheus Barichello restored Italy's aggregate lead but Albert Akbalikov made sure it was level overall at half-time. Luis Turmena's long-range free-kick edged Italy back ahead before Edson's corner deflected off Gabriel Motta into his own goal to force extra time.

There were chances at both ends but for the first time ever, a Futsal EURO qualifying play-off went to penalties. Italy goalkeeper Jurij Bellobuono saved from Akbalikov, Arnold Knaub and Douglas Junior, and although Venâncio hit the bar with the visitors' second kick, Turmena and Gabriel Motta converted their efforts either side of Edson's miss to ensure Italy kept up their record of qualifying for every Futsal EURO while Kazakhstan missed out on a major tournament for the first time since 2014.

Slovakia 5-3 Georgia (agg: 6-7)
Slovakia led 2-1 at half-time as Tomáš Drahovský struck twice to become the overall qualifying top scorer on ten either side of a Giorgi Chimakadze goal. Just over five minutes into the second half Giorgi Ghavtadze missed a Georgia penalty and soon after Marek Belaník reduced Slovakia's aggregate deficit to one.

Just past the half-hour, first-leg double scorer Archil Sebiskveradze struck again for Georgia and a minute later Irakli Todua made it 3-3 on the night. Patrik Zaťovič soon responded and just under three minutes from the end Sebastián Bačo got Slovakia back to within one goal, but Georgia clung on to earn their second straight qualification.

Slovakia's 5-3 second-leg win against Georgia was in vainFutsal Slovakia

First legs

Friday 19 September

Belgium 7-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belgium took a step towards their first finals appearance since hosting in 2014 with a big win in Antwerp, the city where they staged those finals. Just past the midway point in the first half Kenneth Vanderheyden scored twice in 34 seconds and soon Ghislandi and Benneth Vaelen had made it four. Srdjan Ivanković's two goals before the break for the visitors sandwiched Jamal Aabbou's effort for Belgium, Aabbou and Matteo Cordier increasing the advantage late on.

Thursday 18 September

Georgia 4-1 Slovakia
In the meeting of two teams that reached the last eight on their finals debut in 2022, Georgia took a significant step towards qualifying again. Sebiskveradze made it 1-0 at the break, Chimakadze doubled the lead after half-time and, although Bačo soon pulled a goal back, Sebiskveradze and Shota Tophuria struck in the space of 39 seconds late on.

Italy 2-1 Kazakhstan 
Two-time champions Italy went ahead in the 15th minute through Giovanni Pulvirenti and Julio De Oliveira doubled the lead not long before the half-hour. Chingiz Yesenamanov pulled one back but Higuita hit the woodwork late on.

Hungary 3-2 Romania
Büki gave Hungary the lead early in the second half. Robert Crișan equalised only for Büki and Sándor Máté Hadházi to respond before Sergiu-David Gavrila pulled one back in Debrecen, where Hungary edged out Romania in an epic play-off to reach the 2016 finals.

• Kazakhstan beat two-time champions Italy 4-1 in the 2022 group stage and 5-2 in the 2016 quarter-finals.
• Hungary pipped Romania in a thrilling play-off to reach the 2016 finals; in the return leg Florin Matei completed his hat-trick early in extra time only for Zoltán Dróth to equalise in the 47th minute and then win the tie for the home side in Debrecen with one second left.
• In their only previous competitive meeting, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Belgium 2-1 in Sarajevo in a main round qualifier for the 2012 finals.
• Georgia and Slovakia had never previously met competitively; both qualified for the first time in 2022 and reached the quarter-finals.