Race to U19 finals in Romania gathers pace

The 28 teams bidding for a place in the 2010/11 UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals in Romania will be hoping to secure the seven qualifying berths on offer when the elite round kicks off this week.

The hosts are already assured of their final place, and Serbia, Wales, Moldova and Norway will have the first chance to join them when Group 6 gets under way on Thursday, Norway are hosts, with games continuing on Saturday and Tuesday with only the group winners to qualify.

There is then a break before the second of the seven elite round sections, Group 5, kicks off in the Czech Republic on 19 May, with holders France among the four sides in Group 3, which starts the following day. The top team in each of the seven sections qualify for the final tournament, which will be played between 20 July and 1 August.

The curtain comes down on the elite round on 5 June, when Group 2 – featuring four-time winners Spain – and Group 7, which includes 2008 champions Germany, conclude. The draw for the final tournament takes place in Bucharest on 8 June.

Elite round
Group 1 (24-29 May):Belgium, Estonia, Portugal, Croatia*
Group 2 (31 May-5 June): Spain, England, Switzerland*, Montenegro
Group 3 (20-25 May):France (holders), Slovakia*, Belarus, Greece
Group 4 (24-29 May): Italy, Republic of Ireland, Ukraine, Poland*
Group 5 (19-24 May):Netherlands, Russia, Israel, Czech Republic*
Group 6 (28 April-3 May): Serbia, Norway*, Wales, Moldova
Group 7 (31 May-5 June): Germany, Turkey*, Hungary, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

*Hosts