2025 UEFA Under-19 Futsal EURO: A Comprehensive Guide

Chișinău Arena to Welcome Europe’s Best Youth Teams for a Landmark Futsal Event

The 2025 UEFA Under-19 Futsal EURO is set to be an exciting showcase of young futsal talent across Europe. Hosted in Chișinău, Moldova, the tournament will take place at the state-of-the-art Chișinău Arena from 28 September to 5 October 2025. This marks the first time Moldova hosts a UEFA final tournament, underscoring the nation’s commitment to enhancing its futsal capabilities and infrastructure​.

(Main picture: Spain v Portugal 2022 –  source: UEFA via Sportsfile

Tournament Structure and Key Dates

 
The competition will adhere to the format used in previous editions, featuring both preliminary and main qualifying rounds. Here’s an overview of the timeline:

• Preliminary Round: Scheduled from 21–26 January 2025, this stage involves the ten lowest-ranked teams. These teams will compete in groups for the three available slots to advance to the main round​.
• Main Round: The main qualifying stage will take place from 25–30 March 2025, where the 25 higher-ranked teams will compete alongside the three winners from the preliminary round. These teams will be divided into seven groups, and the group winners will qualify for the final tournament​.

 
The draws for both rounds are crucial in shaping the competition and will be held on 31 October 2024 at 14:15 CET. This draw will determine the composition of the groups for both the preliminary and main rounds​.

Teams Competing

Preliminary Round Teams

 
The preliminary round includes the ten lowest-ranked teams based on UEFA’s coefficient rankings. These teams are divided into groups and will fight for the three available spots in the main round:

• Lithuania (Position 2 – designated as a host)
• San Marino (Position 3 or 4 – designated as a host)
• Malta
• Estonia
• Kosovo
• Gibraltar
• Georgia
• Azerbaijan
• Montenegro

 
These teams will be divided into three groups: one group of four and two groups of three. Lithuania and San Marino, as hosts, will automatically be allocated based on their rankings within these groups​.

Main Round Teams

 
The main round features 25 higher-ranked teams joining the three winners from the preliminary round. These teams include past champions and competitive nations:

• Portugal (defending champions and main round host)
• Spain (winners in 2019 and 2022)
• Ukraine (semi-finalists in 2022 and 2023)
• Croatia
• France
• Italy
• Romania
• Slovenia (semi-finalists in 2023)
• England
• Czechia
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Serbia
• Turkey
• Slovakia
• Belarus
• Greece
• Kazakhstan
• Andorra
• Montenegro

 
These teams will be split into seven groups, and the winners of each group will join Moldova in the final tournament​.

Teams to Watch

 
• Portugal: The reigning champions are favorites once again. They have a well-established youth system and a coach confident in defending their title. Preparations include a series of international friendlies aimed at fine-tuning their squad​.
• Spain: Spain, a powerhouse in youth futsal, won the inaugural 2019 tournament and repeated their success in 2022. Despite their defeat in the 2023 final, the Spanish team remains a top contender, focusing on integrating fresh talent to regain their dominance​.
• Ukraine: Consistent semi-finalists in the last two editions, Ukraine has established itself as a formidable opponent. They will be aiming to break into the finals again with their disciplined and tactical approach​.
• Croatia: Croatia, which has consistently appeared in final tournaments, will be looking to build on their history and reach the knockout stages again​.

Venue: Chișinău Arena

 
Opened in 2022, the Chișinău Arena is a versatile venue designed to host a wide range of events, including sports competitions and concerts. This UEFA tournament will be its first major futsal event, symbolizing Moldova’s ambitions to elevate its status in European futsal. The Moldovan Football Federation (FMF) views this event as an opportunity to develop local talent and grow the sport nationwide​.

Portugal are champions for the first time, 2023 -Source: UEFA via Sportsfile

The 2025 UEFA Under-19 Futsal EURO promises a thrilling competition featuring a blend of established futsal nations and emerging teams striving to make their mark. With Portugal and Spain vying to reclaim their dominance and Moldova seeking to impress as hosts, the tournament will be a highlight of the youth futsal calendar. The draws on 31 October 2024 will set the stage for an intense qualifying journey as teams battle for their places in Chișinău​.

Organ Donation

Futsal Focus is a supporter of Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family’s campaign to raise awareness of Organ Donation. We encourage our readers to learn more about Organ Donation: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

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