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2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification

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2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification
Tournament details
DatesRound 1:
September – November 2025
Round 2:
 Spring 2026
Teams54 (from 1 confederation)
← 2025 2027 →
International football competition

The 2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification is a men's under-17 national football team competition that will determine the 7 teams joining the automatically qualified hosts Estonia in the 2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship final tournament.

Russia were excluded from the tournament due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, 54 teams entered this qualification competition including also hosts Albania, as it was the first time in the championship's history that the hosts started from the qualifying round however being automatically qualified. The qualification consists of a Round 1 played from September to November 2025, followed by a Round 2 played in spring 2026. Players born on or after 1 January 2009 are eligible to participate.

Format

The qualifying competition consists of the following two rounds:

  • Round 1: 54 teams were drawn into 14 groups. Each group will be played in a single round-robin format at one of the teams selected as hosts after the draw. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round 2 League A; the other teams will play in the Round 2 League B.
    • League A: 28 teams will be drawn into 7 groups of four. The top three of each group will move on to League A in Round 2. The last placed team will qualify for League B in Round 2.
    • League B: Teams in League B will compete for promotion to League A for round 2. The second, third and last team of each group stay in League B for round 2. The best runner-up from League B will also move on to League A in Round 2.
  • Round 2:
    • League A: 28 teams will be drawn into 7 groups of four. The winners of each group will qualify for the Final tournament. If Albania will be among the seven qualified teams, then the best runner-up team will also qualify.
    • League B: Teams in League B will compete for promotion to League A for qualifying round 1 of the 2026/27 U19 EURO.

Tiebreakers

In the qualifying rounds, teams are 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 Articles 14.01 and 14.02):

  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. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams had the same number of points, and they met in the last round of the group and were tied after applying all criteria above (not used if more than two teams had the same number of points, or if their rankings were not relevant for qualification for the next stage);
  8. Disciplinary points (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
  9. UEFA coefficient ranking for the qualifying round draw;
  10. Drawing of lots.

To determine the four best third-placed teams from the qualifying round, the results against the teams in fourth place were discarded. The following criteria were applied (Regulations Articles 15.01 and 15.03):

  1. Points;
  2. Goal difference;
  3. Goals scored;
  4. Disciplinary points (total 3 matches);
  5. UEFA coefficient ranking for the qualifying round draw;
  6. Drawing of lots.

To determine the seven best runners-up from the elite round, all results were considered. The same criteria as above were applied (Regulations Articles 15.02 and 15.03).

Round 1

Draw

The draw for the Round 1 was held on 5 December 2024 at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

The teams were seeded according to their results in Round 1 of the 2024/25 UEFA U-17 championship:

Each group contains one team from Pot A, one team from Pot B, one team from Pot C, and 12 groups contain one team from Pot D. Based on the decisions taken by the UEFA Emergency Panel, the following pairs of teams could not be drawn in the same group: Spain and Gibraltar, Belarus and Ukraine, Kosovo and Serbia. Due to the current situation, Ukraine, Israël and Belarus cannot host tournaments on their territory and would therefore be excluded from the draw.

To determine the 2024–25 Round 2 league rankings, the following criteria was followed:

  1. higher position in the following classification:
    1. League A Round 2 group winners
    2. League A Round 2 group runners-up
    3. League A Round 2 third-placed teams
    4. Teams promoted from League B
    5. Teams relegated from League A
    6. League B Round 2 runners-up
    7. League B Round 2 third-placed teams
    8. League B Round 2 fourth-placed teams
  2. higher number of points in all mini-tournament matches;
  3. superior goal difference in all mini-tournament matches;
  4. higher number of goals scored in all mini-tournament matches;
  5. lower disciplinary points (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
  6. higher position in the 2024–25 Round 1 league rankings.
Teams entering qualifying round
Pot A
Team Pos. Pts. GD GS
 Italy Winner Group 9 6 11 11
 Portugal Winner Group 5 6 6 9
 England Winner Group 1 6 6 8
 France Winner Group 11 6 3 3
 Belgium Winner Group 4 6 2 4
 Spain Winner Group 12 4 5 7
 Czech Republic Winner Group 7 4 3 6
  Switzerland Winner Group 10 4 3 5
 Poland Winner Group 2 4 3 5
 Greece Winner Group 6 4 3 5
 Croatia Winner Group 3 4 2 4
 Serbia Winner Group 13 4 2 3
 Austria Winner Group 14 4 1 2
 Northern Ireland Winner Group 8 3 0 4
Pot B
Team Pos. Pts. GD GS
 Germany Runner-up Group 7 4 6 11
 Iceland Runner-up Group 12 4 3 6
 Slovenia Runner-up Group 2 4 1 4
 Turkey Runner-up Group 13 4 1 2
 Netherlands Runner-up Group 3 3 3 6
 Denmark Runner-up Group 14 3 2 3
 Ukraine Runner-up Group 4 3 1 5
 Slovakia Runner-up Group 11 3 0 3
 Sweden Runner-up Group 1 3 -1 4
 Norway Runner-up Group 9 3 -6 4
 Israel Runner-up Group 10 2 0 3
 Hungary Runner-up Group 6 2 0 2
 Republic of Ireland Runner-up Group 8 1 -2 3
 Finland Runner-up Group 5 1 -4 3
Pot C
Team Pos. Pts. GD GS
 Lithuania Third Group 8 4 2 5
 Bosnia and Herzegovina Third Group 5 1 -2 4
 Montenegro Third Group 10 1 -3 1
 Luxembourg Third Group 14 1 -3 1
 Romania Third Group 6 1 -3 0
 Albania Third Group 3 1 -5 1
 Kosovo Third Group 4 0 -3 3
 Cyprus Third Group 11 0 -3 2
 Bulgaria Third Group 13 0 -3 0
 Georgia Third Group 2 0 -4 1
 Wales Third Group 9 0 -5 3
 Latvia Third Group 1 0 -5 1
 North Macedonia Third Group 12 0 -8 1
 Belarus Third Group 7 0 -9 2
Pot D
Team Pos. Pts. GD GS
 Scotland Last Group 8 3 -4 3
 Kazakhstan Last Group 4 1 -5 5
 Azerbaijan Last Group 6 1 -7 1
 Estonia Last Group 12 0 -8 3
 Armenia Last Group 2 0 -11 1
 Moldova Last Group 10 0 -11 0
 Malta Last Group 1 0 -12 1
 Andorra Last Group 7 0 -14 1
 San Marino Last Group 9 0 -14 0
 Faroe Islands Last Group 3 0 -14 0
 Gibraltar Last Group 11 0 -19 0
 Liechtenstein Last Group 5 0 -24 0

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Ukraine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Montenegro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Estonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  North Macedonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Gibraltar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Lithuania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Andorra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 5

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Belarus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Moldova 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 6

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Republic of Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Kosovo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Faroe Islands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 7

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 8

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Albania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Kazakhstan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 9

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Israel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Romania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Azerbaijan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 10

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Bulgaria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  San Marino 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 11

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Northern Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Finland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Cyprus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Armenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 12

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
4  Liechtenstein 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 13

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Poland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Luxembourg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Group 14

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League A
2  Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Round 2 League B
First match(es) will be played: Autumn 2025. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers
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Notes

References

  1. ^ "UEFA Documents". documents.uefa.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  2. "2025/26 Under-17 EURO round 1 draw made". UEFA.
  3. "2025/26 UEFA European Under-17 Championship Round 1 draw" (PDF). UEFA.

External links

UEFA European U-16 and U-17 Championship
Under-16 era, 1982–2001
Tournaments
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Squads
Under-17 era, 2002–present
Tournaments
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