The Under-21s are ready to meet their opponents in the finals of the European Championship, which are taking place from 21 June to 8 July 2023. Today at 18.00 CEST, at The Romanian Atheneum in Bucharest, the Azzurrini will be in Pot 2 together with the Netherlands, England and Romania. 16 teams will participate in the draw: Georgia and Romania (the two host nations), the nine winners of the qualifying rounds (including Italy), the best second-place team and the four play-off winners. Groups A and C will be played in Georgia (Batumi, Kutaisi, Tbilisi), and Groups B and D in Romania (in Bucharest and Cluj). Italy will be represented by coach Paolo Nicolato.   

The teams, one for each bracket, will be divided into four groups, each with four national teams. The top two from each group will qualify for the knockout phase. The host nations (Georgia and Romania) will be assigned positions A1 and B1, respectively. The 16 teams have been divided into four pots according to their position in the UEFA national Under-21 ranking (Italy seventh).

Europe has three slots in the 2024 Olympic men's football tournament, not counting hosts France, who automatically qualify. The top three finishers in the U21 finals (other than France and England, the latter of whom cannot qualify for the Olympics) will take part in the tournament. If needed, a play-off will take place in Bucharest.

POTS

Pot 1

Spain (coefficient 41.837)

Portugal (40.130)

Germany (defending champions, 39.668)

France (37.887)

Pot 2

Netherlands (36.626)

England (35.798)

Italy (35.244)

Romania (host nation, position B1, 32.140)

Pot 3

Croatia (31.945)

Switzerland (31.744)

Belgium (31.550)

Czech Republic (30.455)

Pot 4

Ukraine (29.362)

Norway (27.872)

Israel (25.732)

Georgia (host nation, position A1, 24.442)

THE STADIUMS

Georgia

Batumi Arena, Batumi: 3 Group C matches, semi-final, final

Ramaz Shengelia Stadium, Kutaisi: 3 Group C matches, quarter-final

Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi: 3 matches in Group A, quarter-finals

Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi: 3 matches in Group A (Georgia matches)

Romania

Giulești Stadium, Bucharest: 3 matches in Group B, quarter-finals

Steaua Stadium, Bucharest: 3 matches in Group B (Romania matches), semi-final

CFR Cluj Stadium, Cluj-Napoca: 3 matches in Group D

Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca: 3 matches in Group D, quarter-finals

THE SCHEDULE

Group A/Group B: 21, 24, 27 June

Group C/Group D: 22, 25, 28 June

Quarter-finals: 1 and 2 July

Semi-finals: 5 July

Final: 8 July

Knockout stages

Quarter-final 1: Winner Group A vs. Second Group C

Quarter-final 2: Winner Group C vs. Second Group A

Quarter final 3: Winner Group B vs. Second Group D

Quarter Final 4: Winner Group D vs. Second Group B

Semifinal 1: Winner Quarter Final 1 vs. Winner Quarter Final 2

Semi Final 2: Winner Quarter Final 3 vs. Winner Quarter Final 4

Final: Winner Semi Final 1 vs. Winner Semi Final 2