U19 EURO Finals: Meet the eight teams heading to North Wales

Cymru now know the seven teams they could face at this summer’s UEFA European Under-19 Championship, with the finals set to be hosted in North Wales.

The tournament will run from 28 June to 11 July, with Cymru joined by the seven Elite Round group winners. The final draw will take place at Wrexham University on Thursday 16 April (12:00 BST), where the eight nations will be split into two groups, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals. You can follow the draw live on RedWall+ and the FAW’s YouTube channel.

As hosts, Cymru will compete in their first men’s age-group major tournament on home soil, facing some of Europe’s top emerging talent. The competition will also serve as UEFA’s qualifying pathway for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Here, we take a closer look at the eight teams heading to North Wales this summer.

Croatia

Croatia qualified as winners of Group 6 in the qualifying round on home soil, recording victories over Georgia (2-0), Gibraltar (8-0) and Serbia (4-1). They continued that momentum in the Elite Round, again hosting and topping Group 3 with wins against Switzerland (4-1) and Norway (1-0), alongside a 1-1 draw with France. Luka Vrzić finished as their top scorer with three goals. Having reached the elite round in 2024/25, Croatia now return to the finals for the first time since 2016, with their best previous performance a semi-final appearance in 2010.

Denmark

Denmark progressed as Group 10 winners in the qualifying round, played in Switzerland, where they defeated San Marino (6-0) and Switzerland (7-0), despite a narrow 1-0 loss to Sweden. In the Elite Round in Czechia, they topped Group 4 after drawing with Belgium (0-0) and beating Latvia (3-0) and the hosts (2-1).

Six players shared the scoring honours with two goals each: Jacob Ambæk, Olti Hyseni, Sofus Johannesen, William Martin, Valdemar Møller and Hjalte Boe Rasmussen. Having exited at the group stage in both 2024 and 2025, Denmark have now qualified for three consecutive tournaments, a notable run after last reaching the finals in 2001 under the U18 format.

Germany

Germany were dominant in the qualifying round in Norway, winning Group 12 with emphatic victories over Armenia (7-0) and Kosovo (5-0), before edging the hosts 2-1. Hosting their Elite Round group, they finished top of Group 1 with a draw against Sweden (2-2) and wins over Greece (1-0) and Austria (3-2).

Francis Onyeka was a standout performer, finishing as the top scorer across qualifying with eight goals. Semi-finalists in 2024/25, Germany are aiming to add to their previous titles from 2008 and 2014.

Italy

Italy topped Group 9 in the qualifying round on home soil, thrashing Moldova (8-0) and edging Poland (1-0), while drawing 0-0 with Bosnia and Herzegovina. They remained unbeaten in the Elite Round, again hosted in Italy, with convincing wins over Hungary (3-0) and Slovakia (3-0), plus a 1-1 draw against Türkiye to secure top spot in Group 6.

Alessandro Ciardi, Federico Coletta, Jamal Iddrissou and Mattia Mosconi each scored twice. Italy, who last reached the elite round in 2024/25, are three-time champions (2003, 2023), and this squad features several players from the side that won the 2024 U17 EURO, including final scorer Coletta.

Serbia

Serbia advanced from the qualifying round as runners-up in Group 6, played in Croatia, with wins over Gibraltar (4-0) and Georgia (3-1), before a 4-1 defeat to the hosts. They responded impressively in the Elite Round in Portugal, topping Group 2 with victories against England (2-0) and Poland (1-0), alongside a 1-1 draw with the hosts.

Mihajlo Cvetković was their leading scorer with three goals. Serbia, winners in 2013, have now qualified for only the second time since 2014, when they went on to lift the FIFA U-20 World Cup the following year.

Spain

Spain entered directly into the Elite Round as top seeds and made a strong statement by winning all three matches in Group 7 on home soil, defeating Slovenia (4-0), Finland (4-0) and the Netherlands (3-0). Hugo López led the scoring with four goals. Runners-up in 2024/25, Spain are the competition’s most successful side with nine titles and have now qualified for a record 16th finals. Their victory over the Netherlands also served as revenge for last year’s final defeat.

Ukraine

Ukraine were flawless in the qualifying round in Albania, topping Group 5 with three straight 3-0 wins against Albania, Montenegro and Slovakia. They carried that form into the Elite Round in Romania, finishing top of Group 5 with wins over Northern Ireland (1-0) and Kazakhstan (3-0), plus a 1-1 draw with the hosts. Oleksandr Kamenskyi scored four goals across the campaign. Ukraine, champions in 2009, also reached the semi-finals in 2018 and 2024, with the 2018 generation later winning the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Cymru

Cymru qualify automatically as hosts and will make their debut at the U19 finals, managed by Chris Gunter. In preparation, they have played a series of fixtures during the 2025/26 season, recording wins over Austria (2-1), the Netherlands (2-0) and Japan (3-2), a draw with the USA (1-1), and defeats to Belgium (3-1), Switzerland (5-2), England (7-0), Germany (3-0) and the USA (4-0). Mannie Barton is their top scorer with three goals. Cymru previously reached the Elite Round in 2024/25, while this age group also qualified for the 2024 U17 EURO finals in Cyprus.