Malta was drawn with the Czech Republic, Belgium, Montenegro, Moldova and Latvia in Group 1 of the UEFA under-21 Championship qualifying round. The draws were held at the UEFA Headquarters in Nyon on Thursday.

The 52 entrants were drawn into nine groups: seven of six teams and two of five.

The nine group winners will automatically qualify to join hosts Poland in the 2017 finals while the four runners-up with the best record against the teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their group will go into the play-offs and be drawn into two ties to decide the remaining qualifiers for the expanded 12-country finals.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship draw
Group 1: Czech Republic*, Belgium, Montenegro, Moldova, Latvia, Malta
Group 2: Italy*, Serbia*, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Lithuania, Andorra
Group 3: France, Ukraine, Scotland, Iceland, FYR Macedonia, Northern Ireland
Group 4: Portugal*, Israel, Greece, Hungary, Albania, Liechtenstein
Group 5: Denmark*, Romania, Armenia, Wales, Bulgaria, Luxembourg
Group 6: Spain, Sweden*, Croatia, Georgia, Estonia, San Marino
Group 7: Germany*, Russia, Austria, Finland, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands
Group 8: Netherlands, Slovakia, Turkey, Belarus, Cyprus
Group 9: England*, Switzerland, Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan

*Teams competing in this summer’s final tournament in the Czech Republic

Qualifying group stage dates:
23–31 March 2015
8–16 June 2015
31 August–8 September 2015
5–13 October 2015
9–17 November 2015
21–29 March 2016
29 August–6 September 2016
3–11 October 2016