2026 Women's Under-17 EURO final preview: Germany vs France

The 2025 UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship final will be played between Germany and France on Sunday in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The lowdown

Having twice contested the final in the first five editions of WU17 EURO, Germany and France might not have expected a 14-year gap before facing each other in their third decider after both advanced by the narrowest of margins in the semi-finals this time around.

In the first of two nerve-wracking last-four matches on Thursday, goalkeeper Clélia Ducreux saved three penalties against Norway to spare France defeat on penalties at a third successive tournament. Germany then stayed perfect in their shoot-out after a gutsy 0-0 draw against Spain, Mirja Kropp making one crucial save as the record eight-time champions progressed.

Kropp has consecutive clean sheets since Germany's opening 3-1 win over Norway, in which Marie Kleemann added to her three goals in qualifying by scoring alongside Mia Giesen and Johanna Putzer. A 1-0 defeat of England through captain Johanna Hebben's penalty sealed first place in the group, Germany finishing with a 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland despite hitting the woodwork four times.

The only flawless team in the group stage, France earned the biggest win of the finals so far by beating Poland 5-0 through goals from Léa Motyka, Rachael Adedini, Elise Dhalluin, Elsa Prezelin and Candice Thomas. They then saw off Spain 1-0 courtesy of Méhisane Zidi's strike and won against Finland as Adedini struck twice to lead the top scorer standings, joined by Margot Collin and Diénébou Niakate on the scoresheet.

In the semi-finals Motyka put France ahead before Norway pegged them back for a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes but the 2023 champions were not to be denied a shot at winning a second title. They now face opponents who beat them 3-0 in the inaugural final in 2008 and on penalties following a 1-1 draw in 2012, with this tantalising encounter also the first time they will meet for the trophy since the finals expanded to eight teams in 2014.

Views from the camps

Sabine Loderer, Germany coach: “We know what to expect from France: fast counterattacks and really great players. But we know how to defend, as you have seen. Everything that comes now is a bonus and we're going for the title. We really trust each other; the girls trust us, we trust every single girl and there's such a huge bond between the girls. That's our superpower."

Franck Plenecassagne, France coach: "We can't wait. The four teams who qualified [for the semi-finals] were the four best. We know the final will be tough and we'll stick together as a team and work hard, resting and recovering first and foremost and preparing in the best way possible. I'm sure that with the prospect of this great final on Sunday, the players' recovery will be better."

 Key stats

• Germany had only once missed the finals before failing to reach both of the last two tournaments.
• They are in their tenth final but their first since they triumphed in 2021/22.
• This final falls on the seventh anniversary of Germany's last title, beating Netherlands on penalties in Romania.
• Six of the seven meetings between the teams at the finals have been won by Germany.
• Germany's only final defeat was a 2-0 loss to Spain in Lithuania in 2018.
• This is France's fifth final, claiming their only previous title with a 3-2 win against Spain three years ago.
• They have reached at least the semi-finals in each of the last five years, having failed to qualify for three of the previous four editions and gone out in the group stage in the other.
• France have scored in 14 of their last 15 matches at the finals, hitting 53 goals in those games.
• Adedini scored on Matchday 1 for the third year running and needs one goal to take her career WU17 EURO final tournament tally to ten, which would break the record held by Germany's Shekiera Martinez.
• Dhalluin's 91st-minute goal gave France a 1-0 win in the most recent meeting between the teams, in this season's qualifying round 1 in Frankfurt.