2023 U21 EURO in Georgia and Romania: How it works, when and where are the matches, how to buy tickets
Friday, 6 January 2023
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The tournament is scheduled to be played in Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, Batumi, Kutaisi and Tbilisi from 21 June to 8 July 2023.
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The 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament will be played in Georgia and Romania.
How does U21 EURO work?
The tournament is staged at four stadiums in Romania (two in Cluj-Napoca and two in Bucharest) and four stadiums in Georgia (one each in Batumi and Kutaisi, and two in Tbilisi).
U21 EURO groups
Group A: Georgia (hosts), Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands
Group B: Romania (hosts), Spain, Ukraine, Croatia
Group C: Czechia, England, Germany (holders), Israel
Group D: Norway, Switzerland, France, Italy
Romania previously hosted the 1998 U21 finals in Bucharest, which was one of the venues for UEFA EURO 2020 and staged the 2012 UEFA Europa League final. Romania also held the U19 EURO in 2011 and is due to do so again in 2025.
Georgia hosted the 2017 U19 EURO while the 2015 UEFA Super Cup was played in Tbilisi (at the Boris Paichadze Stadium), as were the 2013 UEFA Futsal Cup finals.
Both 2023 hosts were automatically assured of finals spots. Ten more teams clinched places in the qualifying group stage that ran from March 2021 to June 2022, and the remaining four came through the play-offs on 23 and 27 September.
The 16 qualified teams were drawn into four groups of four for the final tournament, with the winners and runners-up in each section reaching the quarter-finals. There will be a standard knockout format from there with extra time and penalties if needed.
Where is Under-21 EURO played?
Georgia
Batumi, Batumi Arena: 3 Group C games, Semi-final, Final
Kutaisi, Shengelia Stadium: 3 Group C games, Quarter-final
Tbilisi, Meskhi Stadium: 3 Group A games, Quarter-final
Tbilisi, Paichadze Stadium: 3 Group A games (involving Georgia)
Romania
Bucharest, Giulești Stadium: 3 Group B games, Quarter-final
Bucharest, Steaua Stadium: 3 Group B games (involving Romania), Semi-final
Cluj-Napoca, CFR Cluj Stadium 3 Group D games
Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Arena: 3 Group D games, Quarter-final
How can I buy Under-21 EURO tickets?
Tickets are expected to go on sale on 13 March with details to follow.
Tournament ambassadors
Ianis Hagi (Romania)
Aleksandr Iashvili (Georgia)
Under-21 EURO: Past finals and hosts
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
16 teams
2021: Germany 1-0 Portugal (hosts: Hungary & Slovenia)
12 teams
2019: Spain 2-1 Germany (Italy & San Marino)
2017: Germany 1-0 Spain (Poland)
8 teams
2015: Sweden 0-0, 4-3p Portugal (Czechia)
2013: Spain 4-2 Italy (Israel)
2011: Spain 2-0 Switzerland (Denmark)
2009: Germany 4-0 England (Sweden)
2007: Netherlands 4-1 Serbia (Netherlands)
2006: Netherlands 3-0 Ukraine (Portugal)
2004: Italy 4-0 Serbia and Montenegro (Germany)
2002: Czechia 0-0, 3-1p France (Switzerland)
2000: Italy 2-1 Czechia (Slovakia)
1998: Spain 1-0 Greece (Romania)
1996: Italy 1-1, 4-2p Spain (Spain)
1994: Italy 1-0aet Portugal (France)
Two-legged knockout
1992: Italy 2-1agg Sweden
1990: Soviet Union 7-3agg Yugoslavia
1988: France 3-0agg Greece
1986: Spain 3-3agg, 3-0p Italy
1984: England 3-0agg Spain
1982: England 5-4agg West Germany
1980: Soviet Union 1-0agg East Germany
1978: Yugoslavia 5-4agg East Germany
UEFA European Under-23 Championship
1976: Soviet Union 3-2agg Hungary
1974: Hungary 6-3agg East Germany
1972: Czechoslovakia 5-3agg Soviet Union
2024 Olympic men's football tournament
Europe has three slots in the 2024 Olympic men's football tournament, not counting hosts France, who automatically qualify. The top three finishers in the U21 finals (other than France, and England, who cannot qualify for the Olympics) will take part in the tournament.
The potential play-off match may take place on 6 or 8 July 2023 in Bucharest.