| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Poland |
| Dates | 5–14 May |
| Teams | 16 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Soviet Union (4th title) |
| Runners-up |  Yugoslavia |
| Third place |  Poland |
| Fourth place |  Scotland |
← 1977 1979 → | |
The UEFA European Under-18 Championship 1978 Final Tournament was held in Poland. It also served as the European qualification for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hungary | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
 Czechoslovakia | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 5 |
 Sweden | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | –6 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1–0 | Hungary | |
| Sweden | 2–4 | Czechoslovakia | |
| Hungary | 4–0 | Sweden | |
| Czechoslovakia | 1–1 | Hungary | |
| Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | Sweden | |
| Hungary | 1–0 | Czechoslovakia |
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Netherlands | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 |
 Finland | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | –2 | 3 |
 Republic of Ireland | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | –2 | 3 |
| Finland | 2–2 | Republic of Ireland | |
| Finland | 1–1 | Netherlands | |
| Netherlands | 3–1 | Republic of Ireland | |
| Republic of Ireland | 0–0 | Netherlands | |
| Netherlands | 3–1 | Finland | |
| Republic of Ireland | 0–0 | Finland |
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Denmark  | 0–3 | Scotland | 0–2 | 0–1 |
Iceland  | 2–1 |  Wales | 1–1 | 1–0 |
Belgium  | 9–2 |  Northern Ireland | 4–1 | 5–1 |
England  | 3–1 |  France | 3–1 | 0–0 |
Liechtenstein  | 1–13 |  Italy | 0–6 | 1–7 |
Luxembourg  | 1–6 |  Portugal | 1–4 | 0–2 |
West Germany  | 4–0 |  Switzerland | 2–0 | 2–0 |
Malta  | 0–2 |  Spain | 0–2 | 0–0 |
Greece  | 2–2 (3–2p) |  East Germany | 1–1 | 1–1 |
Bulgaria  | 2–4 |  Turkey | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| Yugoslavia | 4–0 |  Romania | 2–0 | 2–0 |
Austria  | 0–2 | Soviet Union | 0–2 | 0–0 |
The following teams qualified for the tournament:
Belgium England West Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Netherlands 
Norway (received Bye for qualifying stage) Poland (host) Portugal Scotland Soviet Union Spain Turkey Yugoslavia | Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 5 |
| Portugal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| West Germany | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Italy | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | –2 | 2 |
| 5 May | Italy | 0–0 | Portugal |
| Scotland | 1–0 | West Germany | |
| 7 May | Scotland | 1–0 | Portugal |
| West Germany | 5–3 | Italy | |
| 9 May | Scotland | 0–0 | Italy |
| Portugal | 1–0 | West Germany |
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 6 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | –1 | 3 |
| Norway | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | –4 | 2 |
| Greece | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | –5 | 1 |
| 5 May | Soviet Union | 4–0 | Greece |
| Netherlands | 1–0 | Norway | |
| 7 May | Netherlands | 2–2 | Greece |
| Soviet Union | 4–0 | Norway | |
| 9 May | Soviet Union | 2–0 | Netherlands |
| Norway | 2–1 | Greece |
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yugoslavia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| Hungary | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| Iceland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | –5 | 0 |
| Belgium | Withdrew due to food poisoning | |||||||
| 5 May | Hungary | 3–1 | Iceland |
| Yugoslavia | ABD1 | Belgium | |
| 7 May | Hungary | 0–0 | Yugoslavia |
| 9 May | Yugoslavia | 4–1 | Iceland |
| 1After their first match was abandoned at 2-1, Belgium withdrew from the tournament. The team was suffering from food poisoning. Their results were annulled. | |||
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
| Spain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| England | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 | 3 |
| Turkey | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | –1 | 2 |
| 5 May | England | 1–1 | Turkey |
| Spain | 2–1 | Poland | |
| 7 May | England | 1–0 | Spain |
| Poland | 2–1 | Turkey | |
| 9 May | Poland | 2–0 | England |
| Spain | 1–1 | Turkey |
| Yugoslavia | 2 – 2 | Scotland |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 4 – 2 | ||
| Soviet Union | 2 – 0 | Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| 1978 UEFA European Under-18 Championship |
|---|
 Soviet Union Fourth title |
The six best performing teams qualified for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship: four semifinalists and the best group runners-up (based on goal difference). For an unknown reason, semifinalists Scotland did not participate.