Meet the 2026 Women's Under-17 EURO semi-finalists: France, Norway, Germany, Spain

The UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship semi-finals take place on Thursday at Belfast's National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.

France face Norway before Germany meet Spain for places in Sunday's decider at the same venue. We profile the four contenders.

France vs Norway

France have won all four past finals meetings with Norway, beating them 8-0 in the 2023/24 group stage, 1-0 in 2021/22, 2-0 in 2014/15 and 3-1 for bronze in 2008/09.

France

Round 1: Group A2 winners (played in France)
2-0 vs Republic of Ireland, 1-0 vs Germany, 3-1 vs Belgium
Round 2: Group A4 winners (played in Serbia)
2-1 vs Iceland, 1-2 vs Serbia, 3-1 vs Austria
Group B winners/runners-up
5-0 vs Poland (Coleraine), 1-0 vs Spain (Coleraine), 4-1 vs Finland (Coleraine)

Finals top scorer: Rachael Adedini (3 goals)

2024/25: Semi-finals
Previous best: Winners x 1 (2022/23)

Semi-final record: W4 L5

Previous semi-finals
2024/25: 1-1 (3-4 pens) vs Netherlands
2023/24: 1-6 vs Spain
2022/23: 10-2 vs Switzerland
2021/22: 0-1 vs Germany
2014/15: 1-1 (3-4 pens) vs Spain
2011/12: 5-1 vs Switzerland
2010/11: 2-2 (aet, 6-5 pens) vs Germany
2008/09: 1-4 vs Germany
2007/08: 3-1 (aet) vs England

• France were beaten on penalties in last year's semi-finals by eventual champions Netherlands. They have reached four finals (victorious in 2023) and also won the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup (getting to the last eight in 2025).

Norway

Round 1: Group A7 runners-up (played in Serbia)
5-0 vs Belarus, 2-2 vs Serbia, 0-3 vs Denmark
Round 2: Group A5 winners (played in Norway)
3-1 vs Scotland, 5-0 vs Greece, 2-1 vs Switzerland
Group A runners-up
1-3 vs Germany (Coleraine), 3-0 vs Northern Ireland (Coleraine), 1-1 vs England (Coleraine)

Finals top scorer: Stine Ariell Solemdal (2 goals)

2024/25: Runners-up
Previous best: Runners-up (2024/25)

Semi-final record: W1 L3

Previous semi-finals
2024/25: 3-1 vs Italy
2016/17: 1-1 (2-3 pens) vs Germany
2015/16: 0-4 vs Spain
2008/09: 0-2 vs Spain

• Norway won a semi-final at the fourth attempt last year in the Faroe Islands, beating Italy before losing the decider to the Netherlands. Of that squad, Mie Hoem and Isa Lund have featured at the finals this time around.

Germany vs Spain

This is the first semi-final between Germany and Spain but their 11 past finals meetings have included six deciders. Germany won in 2021/22 (on penalties), 2016/17 (on penalties), 2015/16 (on penalties), 2013/14 (on penalties) and 2008/09 (7-0). Spain won 2-0 in 2017/18 and lead three victories to one in five group encounters.

Germany

Round 1: Group A2 runners-up (played in Germany)
2-1 vs Belgium, 0-1 vs France, 2-0 vs Republic of Ireland
Round 2: Group A1 winners (played in Sweden)
2-0 vs Republic of Ireland, 2-1 vs Sweden, 1-1 vs Denmark
Group A winners
3-1 vs Norway (Coleraine), 1-0 vs England (Larne), 0-1 vs Northern Ireland (Larne)

Finals top scorers: Johanna Putzer, Marie Kleemann, Mia Giesen, Johanna Hebben (1 goal)

2024/25: Did not qualify
Previous best: Winners x 8 (2007/08, 2008/09, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2021/22)

Semi-final record: W9 L3

Previous semi-finals

2021/22: 1-0 vs France
2018/19: 2-0 vs Portugal
2017/18: 8-0 vs England
2016/17: 1-1 (3-2 pens) vs Norway
2015/16: 4-3 vs England
2014/15: 0-1 vs Switzerland
2013/14: 1-0 vs Italy
2011/12: 2-0 vs Denmark
2010/11: 2-2aet (5-6 pens) vs France
2009/10: 0-1 vs Republic of Ireland
2008/09: 4-1 vs France
2007/08:1-0 vs Denmark

• The record eight-time champions have returned to the finals after not qualifying for the last two seasons.
WU17 EURO highlights: Germany 1-0 England

Spain

Round 1: Group A1 winners (played in Portugal)
6-1 vs Bulgaria, 2-0 vs Hungary, 2-0 vs Portugal
Round 2: Group A6 winners (played in Portugal)
8-0 vs Kosovo, 7-1 vs Hungary, 0-0 vs Portugal
Group B runners-up
4-0 vs Finland (Larne), 0-1 vs France (Coleraine), 4-1 vs Poland (Larne)

Finals top scorers: Rocío Elaine, María Aymerich, Ángela Gálvez, Carolina Ferrera, Laia Cabetas, Maialen Valladares, Iraia Fernández, Carlota Chacón (1 goal)

2024/25: Group stage
Previous best: Winners x 5 (2009/10, 2010/11, 2014/15, 2017/18, 2023/24)

Semi-final record: W11 L2

Previous semi-finals
2023/24: 6-1 vs France
2022/23: 3-1 vs England
2021/22: 3-0 vs Netherlands
2018/19: 1-3 vs Netherlands
2017/18: 1-0 vs Finland
2016/17: 2-0 vs Netherlands
2015/16: 4-0 vs Norway
2014/15: 1-1 (4-3pens) vs France
2013/14: 3-0 vs England
2012/13: 2-2 (4-5 pens) vs Sweden
2010/11: 2-2, (6-5 pens) vs Germany
2009/10: 3-1 vs England
2008/09: 2-0 vs Norway

• Spain went out in the group stage for the first time last season in the ten seasons since the round was introduced, having reached the final a record 11 times from 13 semi-finals. They still won a play-off to qualify for the World Cup but the winners of that competition in 2018 and 2022 were not able to made a fourth straight final, losing on penalties to France in the round of 16.
Women's Under-17 EURO highlights: Spain 4-0 Finland

2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

UEFA has five places at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco from 17 October to 7 November.

The four Women's U17 EURO semi-finalists have qualified. They will be joined by England or Poland, who meet at 17:00 CET on Thursday in Larne in a play-off between the two teams that finished third in their groups.