Under-21 finals take shape
Thursday, November 15, 2001
Article summary
UEFA will decide next month where next year's UEFA European Under-21 Championship is to be held after the eight-team lineup was completed on Wednesday.
Article body
The lineup for next year's UEFA European Under-21 Championship was completed on Wednesday after Italy, Switzerland and France all booked their place in the competition.
Other qualifiers
The aforementioned trio join England, Portugal, Greece, Belgium and the Czech Republic in the final tournament. Among the high-profile nations who failed to progress are Germany and the Netherlands.
Venue to be decided
The event will take place from 16 to 28 May 2002. The tournament hosts are yet to be determined but will be one of the eight sides to have qualified. UEFA is reviewing bids from interested countries and will make a decision in December.
Current holders
Italy are the current holders of the Under-21 European crown, having won the event in Slovakia in the summer of 2000. In fact the Italians have won four of the last five tournaments. Other sides to have won the championship since its inception in 1988 are France, the USSR and Spain.