2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

Tournament details
Dates	5 June 2025 – 6 October 2026
Teams	51 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	85
Goals scored	287 (3.38 per match)
Attendance	183,820 (2,163 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Lukáš Mašek Adrian Svanbäck Oskar Pietuszewski Rodrigo Mora Emilio Lawrence (4 goals each)
← 2025 2029 → All statistics correct as of 14 October 2025.

The 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying competition is a men's under-21 football competition to determine the 14 teams that would be joining the automatically qualified co-hosts Albania and Serbia in the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament.

51 UEFA member national teams will enter the qualifying competition. Players born on or after 1 January 2004 are eligible to participate.

Two teams are not taking part in this tournament: Russia was suspended on 28 February 2022 by FIFA and UEFA from all competitions due to its invasion of Ukraine, ^{[1] [2]} while the Liechtenstein team has been temporarily dissolved based on a decision announced on 5 October 2022. ^[3]

Format

The qualifying competition consisted of the following two rounds:

• Qualifying group stage: The 51 teams were drawn into nine groups: six groups of six teams and three groups of five teams. Each group will be played in home-and-away round-robin format. The nine group winners and the best runner-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) will qualify directly for the final tournament, while the remaining eight runners-up advanced to the play-offs.
• Play-offs: The eight teams will be drawn into four ties to play home-and-away two-legged matches to determine the last four qualified teams.

Tiebreakers

In the qualifying group stage, teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 14.01): ^[4]

1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams.
5. Goal difference in all group matches;
6. Goals scored in all group matches;
7. Away goals scored in all group matches;
8. Wins in all group matches;
9. Away wins in all group matches;
10. Disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
11. Position in the UEFA men's Under-21 national team coefficient rankings used for the qualifying group stage draw.

To determine the best runner-up from the qualifying group stage, the results against the teams in sixth place are discarded. The following criteria are applied (Regulations Article 15.02): ^[4]

1. Points;
2. Goal difference;
3. Goals scored;
4. Away goals scored;
5. Wins;
6. Away wins;
7. Disciplinary points;
8. UEFA coefficient ranking for the qualifying group stage draw.

Schedule

Stage	Draw date	FIFA International Dates
Qualifying group stage	6 February 2025 [5]	Matchday 1 (5–10 June 2025)
		Matchday 2 (4–5 September 2025)
		Matchday 3 (8–9 September 2025)
		Matchday 4 (9–10 October 2025)
		Matchday 5 (13–14 October 2025)
		Matchday 6 (13–15 November 2025)
		Matchday 7 (17–18 November 2025)
		Matchday 8 (26–27 March 2026)
		Matchday 9 (30–31 March 2026)
		Matchday 10 (24–26 September 2026)
		Matchday 11 (28 September – 1 October 2026)
		Matchday 12 (5–6 October 2026)
Play-offs	TBA	1st and 2nd legs (9–17 November 2026)

Qualifying group stage

Draw

Final tournament co-hosts

Team
Albania
Serbia

Pot A Team   Spain   England   Portugal   Netherlands   Germany   France   Ukraine   Italy   Denmark	Pot B Team   Romania    Switzerland   Croatia   Czech Republic   Poland   Norway   Belgium   Georgia   Republic of Ireland	Pot C Team   Slovenia   Finland   Sweden   Austria   Slovakia   Greece   Iceland   Hungary   Bulgaria
Pot D Team   Scotland   Wales   Israel   North Macedonia   Turkey   Kosovo   Northern Ireland   Faroe Islands   Moldova	Pot E Team   Belarus   Montenegro   Bosnia and Herzegovina   Cyprus   Latvia   Lithuania   Kazakhstan   Azerbaijan   Luxembourg	Pot F Team   Estonia   Malta   Armenia   Andorra   Gibraltar   San Marino

Each group contained one team from each of Pots A–F (Pots A–E for a five-team group). Based on the previous decisions taken by the UEFA Executive Committee and the UEFA Emergency Panel, four pairs of teams were not drawn in the same group.

• Armenia and Azerbaijan
• Gibraltar and Spain
• Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo
• Belarus and Ukraine

Groups

Group A

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Spain	3	3	0	0	8	2	+6	9	Final tournament		—	6 Oct '26	2–1	31 Mar '26	3–0	14 Nov
2	Romania	3	2	1	0	4	0	+4	7	Play-offs		18 Nov	—	30 Sep '26	0–0	2–0	31 Mar '26
3	Finland	3	2	0	1	13	2	+11	6			25 Sep '26	14 Nov	—	18 Nov	31 Mar '26	7–0
4	Kosovo	3	1	1	1	8	3	+5	4			1–3	27 Mar '26	6 Oct '26	—	30 Sep '26	7–0
5	Cyprus	3	0	0	3	0	10	−10	0			27 Mar '26	25 Sep '26	0–5	14 Nov	—	6 Oct '26
6	San Marino	3	0	0	3	0	16	−16	0			30 Sep '26	0–2	26 Mar '26	25 Sep '26	18 Nov	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group B

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Portugal	4	4	0	0	21	0	+21	12	Final tournament		—	6 Oct '26	3–0	31 Mar '26	5–0	30 Sep '26
2	Czech Republic	4	3	0	1	10	3	+7	9	Play-offs		18 Nov	—	30 Sep '26	2–0	5–0	31 Mar '26
3	Bulgaria	4	2	1	1	6	5	+1	7			25 Sep '26	2–1	—	6 Oct '26	31 Mar '26	3–0
4	Scotland	4	1	1	2	15	7	+8	4			0–2	27 Mar '26	18 Nov	—	30 Sep '26	12–0
5	Azerbaijan	4	0	2	2	4	14	−10	2			27 Mar '26	25 Sep '26	1–1	3–3	—	6 Oct '26
6	Gibraltar	4	0	0	4	1	28	−27	0			0–11	1–2	26 Mar '26	25 Sep '26	18 Nov	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group C

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group C

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Faroe Islands	5	3	0	2	6	11	−5	9	Final tournament		—	1–3	0–6	6 Oct '26	2–1	30 Sep '26
2	Switzerland	3	2	1	0	5	1	+4	7	Play-offs		27 Mar '26	—	14 Nov	0–0	31 Mar '26	25 Sep '26
3	France	2	2	0	0	12	1	+11	6			17 Nov	6 Oct '26	—	30 Mar '26	6–1	3 Oct '26
4	Iceland	4	1	2	1	4	4	0	5			1–2	29 Sep '26	25 Sep '26	—	26 Mar '26	2–1
5	Estonia	5	0	2	3	5	13	−8	2			25 Sep '26	0–2	29 Sep '26	1–1	—	2–2
6	Luxembourg	3	0	1	2	3	5	−2	1			0–1	25 Sep '26	26 Mar '26	13 Nov	6 Oct '26	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group D

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group D

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Slovakia	4	3	1	0	10	4	+6	10	Final tournament		—	18 Nov	25 Sep '26	2–0	13 Nov	3–0
2	England	3	3	0	0	7	0	+7	9	Play-offs		2 Oct '26	—	14 Nov	31 Mar '26	25 Sep '26	1–0
3	Republic of Ireland	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7			2–2	6 Oct '26	—	26 Mar '26	29 Sep '26	1–0
4	Moldova	5	1	0	4	6	11	−5	3			2–3	0–4	1–2	—	6 Oct '26	3–0
5	Kazakhstan	3	1	0	2	1	3	−2	3			27 Mar '26	0–2	31 Mar '26	17 Nov	—	1–0
6	Andorra	6	1	0	5	1	9	−8	3			6 Oct '26	27 Mar '26	18 Nov	2 Oct '26	1–0	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group E

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group E

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Poland	4	4	0	0	15	0	+15	12	Final tournament		—	14 Nov	2–0	3–0	30 Sep '26	27 Mar '26
2	Italy	4	4	0	0	12	2	+10	12	Play-offs		5 Oct '26	—	2–1	26 Mar '26	4–0	5–1
3	Montenegro	4	2	0	2	6	6	0	6			31 Mar '26	18 Nov	—	3–2	2–0	5 Oct '26
4	North Macedonia	4	1	0	3	4	8	−4	3			18 Nov	0–1	30 Sep '26	—	13 Nov	2–1
5	Sweden	4	1	0	3	3	12	−9	3			0–6	31 Mar '26	27 Mar '26	5 Oct '26	—	3–0
6	Armenia	4	0	0	4	2	14	−12	0			0–4	30 Sep '26	14 Nov	31 Mar '26	18 Nov	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group F

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group F

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Greece	3	3	0	0	9	2	+7	9	Final tournament		—	31 Mar '26	14 Nov	18 Nov	1 Oct '26	27 Mar '26
2	Germany	3	2	0	1	9	4	+5	6	Play-offs		2–3	—	6 Oct '26	27 Mar '26	5–0	14 Nov
3	Georgia	3	1	2	0	7	2	+5	5			26 Sep '26	18 Nov	—	1–1	27 Mar '26	31 Mar '26
4	Northern Ireland	3	1	1	1	4	3	+1	4			6 Oct '26	1–2	1 Oct '26	—	13 Nov	2–0
5	Latvia	3	0	1	2	1	7	−6	1			0–1	26 Sep '26	1–1	31 Mar '26	—	6 Oct '26
6	Malta	3	0	0	3	0	12	−12	0			0–5	30 Sep '26	0–5	26 Sep '26	18 Nov	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group G

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group G

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3	1	2	0	2	0	+2	5	Final tournament		—	18 Nov	0–0	0–0	27 Mar '26
2	Norway	1	1	0	0	5	0	+5	3	Play-offs		29 Sep '26	—	14 Nov	27 Mar '26	5–0
3	Israel	3	0	3	0	3	3	0	3			31 Mar '26	6 Oct '26	—	18 Nov	1–1
4	Netherlands	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2			6 Oct '26	25 Sep '26	2–2	—	14 Nov
5	Slovenia	3	0	1	2	1	8	−7	1			0–2	31 Mar '26	29 Sep '26	2 Oct '26	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group H

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group H

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Turkey	3	1	2	0	4	2	+2	5	Final tournament		—	1–1	14 Nov	6 Oct '26	2–0
2	Croatia	2	1	1	0	2	1	+1	4	Play-offs		31 Mar '26	—	1–0	26 Sep '26	13 Nov
3	Ukraine	3	1	1	1	7	4	+3	4			26 Sep '26	2 Oct '26	—	3–3	27 Mar '26
4	Hungary	3	0	3	0	5	5	0	3			1–1	18 Nov	31 Mar '26	—	1 Oct '26
5	Lithuania	3	0	1	2	1	7	−6	1			18 Nov	6 Oct '26	0–4	1–1	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Group I

Main article: 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group I

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Belgium	3	2	1	0	10	1	+9	7	Final tournament		—	2–0	27 Mar '26	28 Sep '26	24 Sep '26
2	Denmark	3	1	1	1	7	5	+2	4	Play-offs		6 Oct '26	—	1–1	31 Mar '26	28 Sep '26
3	Austria	3	1	1	1	4	5	−1	4			14 Nov	2 Oct '26	—	0–2	31 Mar '26
4	Wales	3	1	0	2	4	13	−9	3			0–7	2–6	6 Oct '26	—	27 Mar '26
5	Belarus	2	0	1	1	3	4	−1	1			1–1	18 Nov	2–3	14 Nov	—

Updated to match(es) played on 14 October 2025. Source: UEFA

Ranking of second-placed teams

Only the results of the second-placed teams against the first, third, fourth and fifth-placed teams in their group are taken into account, while results against the sixth-placed team in six-team groups are not included. As a result, eight matches played by each second-placed team are counted for the purposes of determining the ranking. The top-ranked team will qualify directly for the final tournament, while the other teams enter the play-offs.

Play-offs

Team 1	Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
TBD		TBD
TBD		TBD
TBD		TBD
TBD		TBD

Qualified teams

Note: All appearance statistics include only U-21 era (since 1978).

Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Appearance	Last appearance	Previous best performance
Serbia	Co-hosts	4 February 2025	6th (12th incl.Yugoslavia )	2019	Final (2007)
Albania			2nd	1984	Quarterfinals (1984)

Top goalscorers

There have been 287 goals scored in 85 matches, for an average of 3.38 goals per match (as of 14 October 2025).

4 goals

• Lukáš Mašek
• Adrian Svanbäck
• Oskar Pietuszewski
• Rodrigo Mora
• Emilio Lawrence

3 goals

• Norman Bassette
• Lucas Stassin
• Nikola Iliev
• Wilson Odobert
• Nicolò Tresoldi
• Francesco Camarda
• Vladislav Costin
• Dimitar Trajkov
• Tomasz Pieńko
• Gustavo Varela
• James Wilson

References

1. "FIFA/UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions". FIFA . 28 February 2022.
2. "FIFA/UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions". UEFA. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
3. "Nächste U21 EM-Qualifikation ohne Liechtenstein". www.lfv.li (in German). 2022-10-05.
4. "Regulations of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship". UEFA. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
5. "2025-27 Under-21 qualifying draw". UEFA . 6 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-02-09.

External links

• Official website