2022/23 Under-19 EURO elite round: 22 to 28 March

The UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite round runs from 22 to 28 March, with the seven group winners to join hosts Malta in the finals from 3 to 16 July.

In the elite round, the 27 teams that emerged from the qualifying round join top seeds Portugal, who enter at this stage.

Elite round groups

Group 1: France (hosts), Romania, Norway, Northern Ireland

Group 2: Germany (hosts), Slovenia, Belgium, Italy

Group 3: Ukraine, Spain (hosts), Denmark, Luxembourg

Group 4: Portugal (hosts), Croatia, Czechia, Sweden

Group 5: Republic of Ireland (hosts), Greece, Estonia, Slovakia

Group 6: Serbia, Poland (hosts), Israel, Latvia

Group 7: England (holders/hosts), Türkiye, Iceland, Hungary

• The group winners qualify to join hosts Malta in the finals.

Meet the teams

• England beat Israel in the 2022 final to win their second U19 title (third including the previous U18 EURO). France and Italy were beaten semi-finalists with hosts Slovakia, Romania, Austria and Serbia also involved in the finals. Israel and Serbia drew 2-2 in the group stage while France beat Romania 2-1.

• Other former U19 champions (since 2001/02) involved are Spain (8 titles), France (3), Germany (2), Italy (1), Portugal (1), Serbia (1) and Ukraine (1).

• France and Spain are aiming to extend their records of qualifying 12 times since the switch to U19 classification.

• Denmark, Iceland, Latvia and Luxembourg are aiming to join Malta in making their U19 finals debut. Estonia and Northern Ireland have only ever previously competed in the finals as hosts.