2023 Under-21 EURO qualifying latest

Qualifying for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania is in progress, with the groups running until June 2022 and followed by play-offs in September of the same year.

In all, 53 teams are competing for 14 places alongside co-hosts Georgia and Romania in summer 2023. See how qualifying is unfolding with the groups all heading to the decisive fortnight in June. Belgium and Spain are the first teams to ensure their finals spots as group winners, while four other nations are certain of at least a play-off by finishing in the top two.

• Qualifying fixtures/results
• Standings
• The groups run until 14 June.
• The nine group winners and the best runner-up (not counting results against sixth-placed teams) will qualify directly for the final tournament, joining Georgia and Romania.
• The other eight runners-up will play off for the remaining four finals berths in September 2022.
• Play-off draw: 21 June, 13:00 CET, Nyon
• Finals draw: 18 October, 18:00 CET, Bucharest

Top five goals: 2021 U21 EURO

Qualifying groups

• Germany will hope to defend their title in Georgia and Romania after winning the first 16-team final tournament in Hungary and Slovenia in 2021.
• England are aiming to qualify for their ninth straight final tournament.
• Italy hope to add to their record of qualifying 13 times since a final tournament was introduced in 1994; they have lifted a joint-record five titles with Spain.
• Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, San Marino and Wales began qualifying seeking to join Georgia in appearing in their first final tournaments (though Albania and Bulgaria did reach the old pre-1994 eight-team two-legged knockout phase).

Group A: Croatia, Austria, Norway, Finland, Azerbaijan, Estonia

• Croatia won their first six games but in March's games were held 0-0 by Austria and then lost 3-2 at home to Finland; however, they will qualify if they beat Norway on 3 June. Austria beat Norway 3-1 to go second but are three points behind Croatia and only have one game left to the leaders' two. Norway are third, four points off Croatia but they have a match in hand, as do fourth-placed Finland, two further points back.

Germany beat Latvia to return to the Group B summitGetty Images

Group B: Germany (holders), Israel, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, San Marino

• Germany are a point away after a 1-0 win away to second-placed Israel, who had previously drawn 2-2 with Poland. Israel are a point ahead of Poland, who drew 1-1 with Hungary, and five off second. San Marino held Latvia 0-0 on 29 March for their first qualifying point since another goalless draw in Estonia on 16 June 2015, and their first home point since holding Finland 0-0 on 5 March 2014.

Group C: Spain (qualified), Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Malta, Lithuania

*Russia excluded

• Spain beat Lithuania 8-0 and then won 3-2 in Slovakia, and their finals place is assured. A point for Slovakia in either of their remaining games would ensure second place, with Northern Ireland and Malta in contention for now.

Spain remain on courseGetty Images

Group D: Portugal, Greece, Iceland, Belarus, Cyprus, Liechtenstein

• Portugal dropped their first points in their opening March fixture as they drew 1-1 with Iceland but then won 4-0 in Greece to return to the top, two points clear of their hosts with a game in hand. The result also means Portugal will definitely finish in the top two. Greece are eight points clear in second place ahead of Iceland and Belarus, who both have three matches left.

Group E: Switzerland, Netherlands, Moldova, Bulgaria, Wales, Gibraltar

• Switzerland made certain of a top-two finish thanks to their 5-1 defeat of Wales but then lost 2-0 in the Netherlands, who moved to within two points of the summit with a game in hand. Molodova's 4-0 win in Gibraltar means they are within six points of the Netherlands, who they can still catch and host on 3 June.

The Netherlands secured a crucial 2-0 win against SwitzerlandANP/AFP via Getty Images

Group F: Italy, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Luxembourg

• Italy took a big step towards the finals as they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 while Sweden lost 2-0 at home to the Republic of Ireland, who had previously defeated them in November. The Azzurrini are now three points ahead of Sweden and have a game in hand. Ireland are now one point off second and like Italy have three matches left to Sweden's two.

Group G: Czech Republic, England, Slovenia, Albania, Kosovo, Andorra

• The Czech Republic remain first and have confirmed a top-two finish after beating Albania and Andorra. However, England also defeated the same teams in March, are still within three points and have two games in hand on the leaders. Slovenia, after two draws with Kosovo, are third, four points behind England having played two games more.

England are unbeaten in Group GThe FA via Getty Images

Group H: France, Ukraine, Serbia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Armenia

• France were held 1-1 in the Faroe Islands in September but those are the only points they have dropped and they beat that same team 2-0 in March to make sure of a top-two finish. Serbia beat North Macedonia 2-1 and Armenia 2-0 to move into third, two points ahead of the Faroe Islands, who won 1-0 in North Macedonia.

Due to the emergency situation in Ukraine, their scheduled matches in March against Armenia and France were postponed until June.

Group I: Belgium (qualified), Denmark, Turkey, Scotland, Kazakhstan

• Belgium might have lost the last qualifying perfect record with the 1-1 draw in Denmark but the result confirmed them as group winners and booked their finals place in Georgia and Romania with two games to spare. Denmark needed to win to stay in contention to finish first but remain strongly placed in second, three points ahead of Turkey having played a game fewer.

Qualifying group stage matchweeks

25–29 March 2021
4–8 June 2021
2–7 September 2021
7–12 October 2021
11–16 November 2021
24–29 March 2022
1–14 June 2022