2026 Women's Under-19 EURO final preview: Germany vs Spain

Germany play holders Spain in the 2026 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship final at Grbavica Stadium, Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The lowdown

The two dominant nations in UEFA women's club competition are facing off for a title once again. Spain, aiming for a record-increasing fifth title in a row, went one ahead of Germany last year by lifting the trophy for the seventh time, and they have also won three of the four past final showdowns between this pair.

These nations also dominate WU17 EURO with six final encounters, most recently in 2022 at the same Grbavica Stadium that will stage Friday's decider. On that occasion Germany won on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw, and their coaching team included playing legend Melanie Behringer, who this time around is in charge of the squad.

Her team, who lost 5-0 to Spain in qualifying round 1 in December but made the finals ahead of France, topped Group A and then were made to work by Austria in Tuesday's semi-final at Grbavica Stadium, Germany prevailing 1-0 with an extra-time goal by substitute Tessa Zimmermann. They lost Zoe Schick to a Matchday 1 injury having already had to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina without several key players, but Germany can welcome back captain Luzie Zähringer from a semi-final suspension.

Spain, now in a record-equalling fifth straight final and tenth in 11 editions, have been warming to their task and after finishing first in Group B, met Sweden in Zenica on Tuesday and were magnificent in a 3-0 victory. Thrilling winger Rosalía Domínguez got her finals joint-leading third goal of the tournament in the semi, as did Alba Cerrato and Ainoa Gómez, who were among several players in the squad that not only were part of their 2025 winning side, but also claimed 2024 WU17 EURO glory.

Road to the final

Germany

Group A winners
5-0 vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Training Centre FFBH, Zenica), 1-1 vs Poland (Asim Ferhatovic Hase Stadium, Sarajevo), 2-0 vs Sweden (Training Centre FFBH, Zenica)
Semi-finals
1-0aet vs Austria (Grbavica Stadium, Sarajevo)

Spain

Group B winners
2-2 vs Switzerland (Asim Ferhatovic Hase Stadium, Sarajevo), 4-0 vs Iceland (Training Centre FFBH, Zenica), 2-1 vs Austria (Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica)
Semi-finals
3-0 vs Sweden (Training Centre FFBH, Zenica)

Views from the camps

Melanie Behringer, Germany coach: "It is our first final in a EURO [for this generation], so it is something new. I want to say thank you to David [Aznar, Spain coach], as we lost to you in qualifying and it was a very important defeat, it sounds crazy but it was very important for us.

"After that game we thought about what to do better as 5-0 against Spain was hard, but it was important for us and I think we did well after the defeat and now hopefully we are now ready for Friday."

David Aznar, Spain coach: "We are very happy to be in the final again. It is the fifth consecutive final for Spain, we are very happy to play in this final against Germany, a good team with a very good coach.

"I think it is a completely different game [to December's qualifier]. It is a final, a different context. Germany and Spain have grown a lot in the year, there are different players in this tournament in both squads. It is a beautiful game with a lot of talented players on the pitch."

Germany captain Luzie Zahringer with Spain skipper Irune Dorado UEFA via Getty Images

Luzie Zähringer, Germany captain: "We are very happy about the final especially as when we look at our development this season. We are proud of this.

"My family is here and that means a lot to me. It does not always happen so I am very grateful for that. And also the other players’ families are here, you saw against Austria they tried to support us and I think that will also happen on Friday."

Irune Dorado, Spain captain: "We are very proud to be in the final, we are proud as it is a long journey to be here and now we are going to try to win this final.

"We told [the players who will be in their first final] to enjoy it because if they play as they know they will do well. We are calm because if we play as a team we are going to do a great job."

WU19 EURO final refereeing team

UEFA via Getty Images

Referee: Miriama Bočková (Slovakia)
Assistant referees: Aleksandra Mostowska (Poland), Vasilia Tsiklitari (Greece)
Fourth official: Deborah Bianchi (Italy)

Key stats

• Spain are in a record 13th final, one ahead of Germany. They have equalled their own mark by getting this far five years in a row.
• Spain have seven titles to Germany's six, overtaking them last year with an unprecedented fourth straight victory.
• Spain trio Alba Cerrato, Rosalía Domínguez and Ainoa Gómez are finals joint-top scorers with Switzerland's Emanuela Pfister.
• Laia López, Alba Cerrato, Celia Segura, Emma Moreno, Amaya García, Irune Dorado and Elene Gurtubay all helped Spain win last season's final, with Ainoa Gómez on the bench for the decider. Laia López, Alba Cerrato, Celia Segura, Emma Moreno, Amaya García and Irune Dorado also won WU17 EURO in 2024.
  
• There have been 50 goals in the finals, the first time since 2017 that a half-century has been reached.