The 2027 European Championship will feature 53 teams in the youth category, two of which, Albania and Serbia, are already qualified as hosts. Liechtenstein did not enter qualification, while Russia was barred from participating according to a UEFA Executive Committee decision.

Therefore, 51 national teams will participate in the qualifying tournament. According to the UEFA ranking (performance in Euro-2021, Euro-2023 qualifiers and finals, and Euro-2025 qualification), the teams were divided into six pots. Ukraine is in the first pot.

Qualification Tournament Pots for Euro 2027 (U-21)

Pot 1: Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, France, Ukraine, Italy, Denmark.

Pot 2: Romania, Switzerland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Norway, Belgium, Georgia, Ireland. 

Pot 3: Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Slovakia, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Bulgaria.

Pot 4: Scotland, Wales, Israel, North Macedonia, Turkey, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Faroe Islands, Moldova.

Pot 5: Belarus, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg.

Pot 6: Estonia, Malta, Armenia, Andorra, Gibraltar, San Marino.

Nine groups will be formed: six of them with six teams each and three with five.

In the final stage of Euro-2027 (U-21), 16 teams will compete: Albania, Serbia, plus 14 others that join them based on qualification results (nine group winners, the best second-placed team and four play-off winners).

Qualification Group Stage Match Windows

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.

It should be noted that during the draw, Ukraine and Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Gibraltar and Spain, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be separated into different groups.

Euro-2027 (U-21) is planned to take place on four stadiums in Albania (Tirana, Shkodër, Elbasan, Rrogozhina) and four in Serbia (Novi Sad, Loznica, Leskovac, Zaječar). The opening match will be held in Serbia, the final in Albania.