A guide to understanding this important youth football event and what it means for players, teams, and national programs.
The elite round of the 2022-2023 European Under-19 Championship began with a December 2022 draw that grouped 27 teams that advanced from the qualifying rounds. These teams joined the already-qualified Portugal squad, which had earned its spot at this stage by prior performance. The competition serves as a showcase for emerging talent across Europe, highlighting the depth of the region’s youth development systems and offering a path toward the final tournament hosted by a selected nation. This season’s setup spotlights how a continent’s next generation competes on a big stage, laying the groundwork for future senior national teams.
Denmark marked the first trip in this journey, heading to Spain for the initial rounds that set the tone for the elite phase. The road to the final has a clear purpose: identify rising stars, test them against strong peers, and provide international experience that translates to senior-level readiness in coming years. The process also gives scouts and clubs a glimpse of who might rise to prominence in the domestic leagues and potentially transfer to larger stages.
Elite round of the European Under-19 Championship: what it is, which teams play, and why the Spanish national team is involved
The elite round features seven groups, each hosting a mini-tournament from March 22 to March 28. The format is straightforward: teams compete within their groups, and the seven group winners earn a place in the final tournament. They will join the host nation Malta, which automatically qualifies for the final phase. Malta’s hosting of the final, scheduled from July 3 to July 16, creates a culminating event where the continent’s best U-19 squads vie for the European crown and a platform to demonstrate future potential on a larger stage.
The group stage structure ensures a competitive balance. Each group brings together teams with varied football philosophies, creating tactical diversity and opportunities to observe how players adapt to different playing styles, venues, and crowds. This setup also intensifies the value of each match, as a single result can determine a nation’s path toward the final rounds. The event consistently emphasizes player development, teamwork, and the edge that comes from high-stakes regional competition.
Groups:
Elite round groups (March 22-28)
Group 1: France (host), Romania, Norway, Northern Ireland
Group 2: Germany (host), Belgium, Italy, Slovenia
Group 3: Ukraine, Spain (host), Denmark, Luxembourg
Group 4: Portugal (host), Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden
Group 5: Republic of Ireland (host), Greece, Estonia, Slovakia
Group 6: Serbia, Poland (hosts), Israel, Latvia
Group 7: England (reigning champion, host country), Turkey, Iceland, Hungary
Spain’s campaign in this elite round includes Costa-like expectations for La Roja’s youth teams. The team, affectionately known as La Rojita, aims to secure one of the seven spots to Malta’s final phase. Their sequence in the elite round features a meeting with Denmark on March 22, followed by a clash with Luxembourg on March 25 and a decisive encounter with Ukraine on March 28. These matchups test Spain at a critical moment in the development cycle, challenging the squad to demonstrate cohesion and resilience against a range of tactical approaches.
Source: Goal