After consultation with UEFA’s 55 member associations, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken several decisions regarding youth national team competitions considering the current COVID-19 situation across Europe.
These decisions were taken in order to alleviate the additional operational and financial burden on national associations – caused by hygiene conditions impacting travel and accommodation, as well as testing to safeguard the health of athletes and minimize any potential risk of spreading the infection.
The UEFA Executive Committee decided to postpone the qualification matches for the 2020/21 youth championships until the Spring of 2021 and to reduce the number of such matches.
Women’s Under-17:
- Qualifying round to be played by end of February 2021 (12 mini-tournaments)
- Elite round abolished and replaced by Play-offs
- Play-offs (14 teams) to be played by end of March 2021
- Final tournament as scheduled (Faroe Islands, May 2021)
Men’s Under-17:
- Qualifying round to be played by end of March 2021 (13 mini-tournaments)
- Elite round abolished
- 13 group winners & 2 seeded teams qualify for final tournament to be played as scheduled (Cyprus, May 2021)
Women’s Under-19:
- Qualifying round to be played in February 2021 (12 mini-tournaments)
- Elite round abolished and replaced by Play-offs
- Play-offs (14 teams) to be played in April 2021
- Final tournament as scheduled (Belarus, July 2021)
Men’s Under-19:
- Qualifying round to be played in March 2021 (13 mini-tournaments)
- Elite round abolished and replaced by Play-offs
- Play-offs (14 teams) to be played by end of May 2021
- Final tournament as scheduled (Romania, July 2021)
This means that the the 2020/21 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifying round, where Malta will face England, Slovenia and hosts Wales in Group 10, starts in March.
The 2020/21 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying round also begins in March. Malta will be facing Germany, Poland and hosts North Macedonia in Group 11.
The 2020/21 UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship qualifying round runs in February with Malta hosting Group 2 which includes Germany, Belgium and Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile UEFA also took the following decisions:
Women’s Under-17 Championship 2019/20
- Cancellation of the elite round and the final tournament
- If the FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup is confirmed, the three European teams with the highest coefficient ranking will qualify (England, Germany and Spain, in alphabetical order)
Men’s Under-19 Championship 2019/20
- Elite round to be played in October 2020
- Final tournament in Northern Ireland: Group phase in November 2020 and Knock-Out phase in March 2021