Malta was drawn in Group 5 with Slovakia, Norway and Netherlands in the 2026/27 UEFA European Under-17 Championship round 1 as the draw was made on Wednesday by Bjorn Vassallo, chairman of the UEFA Youth and Amateur Football Committee. He also presented the Respect Fair Play trophy to Peter Loos, Belgium team manager at the 2025 finals

The draw set the 14 mini-tournament groups of three or four teams that begin the road to the eight-team finals in Latvia.

Round 1 mini-tournaments must be played from 1 July to 17 November. The 14 group winners and 14 runners-up qualify for round 2 League A. The remaining 26 teams participate in round 2 League B.

Round 2 in spring 2027 will decide the seven teams that join Latvia in the EURO final tournament and will also act as UEFA’s qualifier for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. Latvia will take part in qualifying although their place in the EURO finals is assured as hosts.

2026/27 U17 EURO round 1 draw

Group 1: Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Wales, Estonia

Group 2: Germany, Northern Ireland, Lithuania, Azerbaijan

Group 3: Spain, Switzerland, Israel, Liechtenstein

Group 4: Sweden, Scotland, Finland, Albania

Group 5: Slovakia, Norway, Netherlands, Malta

Group 6: Portugal, Serbia, Bulgaria, Andorra

Group 7: Iceland, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gibraltar

Group 8: Czechia, Slovenia, Belarus, Moldova

Group 9: Montenegro, Poland, Ukraine, England

Group 10: France, Italy, Luxembourg, Armenia

Group 11: Türkiye, North Macedonia, Hungary, San Marino

Group 12: Belgium, Croatia, Latvia, Kosovo

Group 13: Cyprus, Romania, Faroe Islands

Group 14: Kazakhstan, Austria, Georgia

Meanwhile the 2025/26 UEFA European Under-17 Championship round 2 draw has been made with Malta drawn in Group B2 along with Bulgaria, Lithuania and Azerbaijan.

The draw, made by Bjorn Vassallo, chairman of the UEFA Youth and Amateur Football Committee, split teams into groups within two-tiered leagues to be played in spring 2026.

All 54 entrants, including final tournament hosts Estonia, started in round 1, the results of which decided which 28 teams enter League A, with the remaining 26 nations going into League B. Estonia will play in League B although their finals place is already assured as hosts.

The round 2 groups will be played in the spring as one-venue mini-tournaments.

Teams in round 2 League A will compete in spring 2026 for seven places alongside hosts Estonia in the final tournament between 25 May and 7 June, as well as Europe’s berths in the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. 

Teams in both round 2 leagues will play for promotion and relegation between the leagues ahead of 2027/28 U19 EURO round 1.

U17 EURO round 2 draw

League A

Group A1: Germany, France, Slovenia, North Macedonia

Group A2: Iceland, Portugal, Italy, Romania

Group A3: Sweden, Montenegro, Greece, Norway

Group A4: Czechia, Kazakhstan, Austria, Denmark

Group A5: Belgium, Cyprus, Serbia, Switzerland

Group A6: Spain, Türkiye, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Group A7: Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Croatia, Poland

League B

Group B1: Israel, Faroe Islands, England, Estonia

Group B2: Bulgaria, Lithuania, Malta, Azerbaijan

Group B3: Wales, Georgia, San Marino, Andorra

Group B4: Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Gibraltar

Group B5: Hungary, Luxembourg, Armenia, Liechtenstein

Group B6: Ukraine, Latvia, Albania

Group B7: Netherlands, Belarus, Kosovo