The Ukrainian youth team has begun targeted preparation for their opening match in the Euro 2027 (U-21) qualifying tournament — against Lithuania, which will take place on September 5 in the city of Druskininkai at LSK "Druskininkai Stadium".

Photo by Andriy Hrabovskyy

Currently, our team has traveled a long distance through the Polish cities of Hel and Warsaw, flying to Vilnius, and from there — by bus to Marijampolė. It is here at the local arena "Suduva," which serves as the home ground for the eponymous club, that Unai Melgosi's wards are conducting their training sessions.

Photo by Andriy Hrabovskyy

Roster of the Ukrainian youth team

Goalkeepers: Vladyslav Krapivcov ("Girona," Spain), Illia Popovich ("Kiskunhalas," Hungary), Ivan Paholyuk ("Kolos" Kovalevka).

Defenders: Illia Krups'kyi ("Metalist 1925" Kharkiv), V'yacheslav Kulbachuk ("Debrecen," Hungary), Mykola Kyrichok ("Karpaty" Lviv), Andriy Kitela, Vitaliy Hолод (both — "Ruh" Lviv), Mykola Ogarkov ("Oleksandria"), Serhiy Koronychuk ("Polesia" Zhytomyr), Daniel Vernattus ("Metalist" Kharkiv).

Midfielders: Oleh Fedor, Artur Shakh (both — "Karpaty" Lviv), Roman Salenko ("Zorya" Luhansk), Ramik Gadzhiev ("Metalist 1925" Kharkiv), Timur Tutyerov ("Sunderland," England), Hennadii Sinchuk ("Montreal," Canada), Danylo Krevsun ("Borussia" Dortmund, Germany), Maksym Melnychenko ("Polesia" Zhytomyr), Artem Gusol ("Kolos" Kovalevka), Ivan Varfolomeev ("Lincoln City," England).

Forwards: Artem Stepanov ("Nuremberg," Germany), Matviy Ponomarenko ("Dynamo" Kyiv), Oleksandr Pyshchur ("Debrecen," Hungary).

Photo by Andriy Hrabovskyy

Schedule of Group N matches in the Euro 2027 (U-21) qualifying tournament

05.09.2025. Lithuania — Ukraine

09.09.2025. Lithuania — Hungary

09.09.2025. Turkey — Croatia

10.10.2025. Ukraine — Hungary

10.10.2025. Turkey — Lithuania  

14.10.2025. Croatia — Ukraine

14.10.2025. Hungary — Turkey

13.11.2025. Croatia — Lithuania

14.11.2025. Turkey — Ukraine

18.11.2025. Lithuania — Turkey  

18.11.2025. Hungary — Croatia

27.03.2026. Ukraine — Lithuania

31.03.2026. Hungary — Ukraine

31.03.2026. Croatia — Turkey

26.09.2026. Ukraine — Turkey

26.09.2026. Croatia — Hungary

01.10.2026. Hungary — Lithuania

02.10.2026. Ukraine — Croatia

06.10.2026. Turkey — Hungary

06.10.2026. Lithuania — Croatia

Draw for the Euro 2027 (U-21) qualifying tournament

Group A: Spain, Romania, Finland, Kosovo, Cyprus, San Marino.

Group B: Portugal, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Scotland, Azerbaijan, Gibraltar.

Group C: France, Switzerland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Estonia.

Group D: England, Ireland, Slovakia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Andorra.

Group E: Italy, Poland, Sweden, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Armenia.

Group F: Germany, Georgia, Greece, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Malta.

Group G: Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Group H: Ukraine, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Lithuania.

Group I: Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Belarus.

Nine groups were formed: six of them will have six teams each and three will have five.

In the final stage of Euro 2027 (U-21), 16 teams will participate: Albania, Serbia, and another 14 teams that join them based on qualifying results (nine group winners, the best team among second-place finishers, and four play-off winners).

Match windows for the group stage of qualification

2025:

• March 17—25;
• June 2—10;
• September 1—9;
• October 6—14;
• November 10—18.

2026:

• March 23—31;
• September 21 — October 6;

Play-offs: November 9—17, 2026.

Euro 2027 (U-21) is planned to be held at four stadiums in Albania (Tirana, Shkodër, Elbasan, Rrogozhina) and four in Serbia (Novi Sad, Loznica, Leskovac, Zaječar). The opening match will take place in Serbia, the final — in Albania. It is worth noting that based on the results of Euro 2027 (U-21), UEFA Olympic qualifiers will be determined.