UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 Matchday 3 Wednesday preview: Latvia vs Croatia, Georgia vs France, Czechia vs Ukraine, Lithuania vs Armenia

UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 Groups A and B end at Arena Riga and Žalgirio Arena, Kaunas on Wednesday with seven teams competing for three available quarter-final slots alongside already-through Armenia.

Debutants Armenia have already clinched Group B first place and remain in Kaunas to face co-hosts Lithuania, while Ukraine, in second, take on Czechia in Riga. Before that Group A finishes with leaders France taking on fourth-placed Georgia in Kaunas and Croatia needing a win to overtake co-hosts Latvia in Riga.

Group A: Latvia vs Croatia (16:30 CET, Riga)

Debutants Latvia opened with a 4-0 defeat of Georgia but on Sunday lost 5-0 to France, a game that was goalless at half-time. Still, the co-hosts are second, a point ahead of Croatia who have drawn 2-2 twice, meaning not only would victory take Latvia through, but also a draw unless Georgia beat France by a margin of between three and six goals (other than 3-0 or 4-1).

Croatia must win to reach their first quarter-final since 2014, having dominated against Georgia with a shot count of 60-15, only to be denied by a late equaliser and penalty save. This is the first time Croatia have met a Futsal EURO host since losing to Spain in 1999 (though they themselves were at home in 2012).

Massimiliano Bellarte, Latvia coach: "The people who have watched us have fallen in love with Latvian futsal ... Before the [France] game, I told the guys that the worst thing that could happen is that we could lose. But the sun will rise again and we have our destiny in our hands."

Marinko Mavrović, Croatia coach: "I am confident we can win and qualify for the quarter-finals.”

Group A: Georgia vs France (16:30 CET, Kaunas)

France went top with their second-half surge against Latvia, and will be through if they avoid defeat. On Sunday, goalkeeper Francis Lokoka was superb in the first half and Souheil Mouhoudine, Abdessamad Mohammed, Mamadou Touré, Sid Belhaj and Ouassini Guirio all came to the fore in the second period for the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup semi-finalists to register their first-ever Futsal EURO win, so swift has been their rise.

Speaking of goalkeepers who were sensational on Sunday, Ali Aslani performed miracles to give Georgia the point that kept their campaign alive, albeit they need to win by a margin of at least four or by a three-goal margin other than 3-0 and 4-1, and hope the other game is drawn. These sides met in the qualifying main round, France winning 5-2 at home then drawing 3-3 away to book an automatic finals spot and send Georgia to the play-offs.

Ali Aslani, Georgia goalkeeper: “I have big respect for France. We know they are a good team and playing well – but we are Georgia, we are fearless! I don’t know the result, but I know we will try our best.”

Raphaël Reynaud, France coach: "We have a tough game next. A European Championship is a very dense competition, with a very balanced standard. We saw Croatia held by a very good Georgia team that we know well, so we'll need to be very attentive and very serious to approach this game in the best way possible."

 Group B: Czechia vs Ukraine (19:30 CET, Riga)

Ukraine, who beat France for bronze in the 2024 World Cup and also made the EURO 2022 semis, made a slow start with a 2-1 loss to Armenia. But on Sunday they defeated Lithuania 4-1 and are now just a point away from sealing a quarter-final against the Group A winners.

Czechia, held by Lithuania and then beaten by Armenia, must win (though if Lithuania also prevail, second place would be decided on overall goal difference). They have not made it past the group stage since 2010 but Czechia have shown spirit in these finals, equalising late to hold Lithuania and coming so close to what seemed an unlikely comeback against Armenia.

Marek Kopecký, Czechia coach:  "We now have to mobilise all our strength and try to beat Ukraine. We already suspected that the last match would probably be decisive.”

Oleksandr Kosenko, Ukraine coach: "We understood that [beating Lithuania] was a must. We played well from start to finish."

Group B: Lithuania vs Armenia (19:30 CET, Kaunas)

Armenia finished above Kazakhstan to qualify for the first time and have kept up that form in Kaunas, beating finals regulars Ukraine and Czechia to seal Group B top spot with a game to spare. It has been quite the rise for a nation that seldom got past the preliminary round of qualifying prior to 2022.

Fellow finals newcomers Lithuania, however, lie fourth and must win and hope Czechia also prevail, and even then the co-hosts need enough of a margin of victory to make up their goal difference deficit.

Dentinho, Lithuania coach: "I’m proud of our players. We still have a chance, even if small."

Ruben Nazaretyan, Armenia coach: "It’s a great feeling, the best feeling for a long time. I hope we continue to bring joy to our nation. We are very confident, we’ve brought this confidence from the qualifying round and we will prepare for the last group game against Lithuania."