Events

Serbia, Albania to co-host UEFA U21 Euros in 2027

Featured image credit: ErtonKashta/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size

The UEFA European U21 Championship will be co-hosted by Serbia and Albania in 2027, with Tirana’s Air Albania Stadium to stage the final.

The 16-team tournament will be played at four stadiums in Albania and four in Serbia, with both hosts to be assured of a spot in the competition.

It will mark the first time that Albania or Serbia has hosted the U21 Euros. Albania will host the U17 Euros later this year, while Tirana also hosted the UEFA Conference League final in 2022. Serbia hosted the U17 Euros in 2011.

Air Albania Stadium (pictured) has a capacity of 22,000. Albania’s other host venues will be the Loro Boriçi Stadium in Shkodër, Elbasan Arena, and Arena Egnatia in Rrogozhinë.

The opening match will take place in Serbia at Karadorde Stadium in Novi Sad, which has a capacity of around 14,800. Other matches in Serbia will take place at the Lagator Stadium in Loznica, Dubočica Stadium in Leskovac, and Kraljevica Stadium in Zaječar.

Serbia and Albania were awarded co-hosting rights after Belgium and Turkey dropped out of the race to stage the tournament. Serbia and Albania will each host eight of the 16 teams, with teams playing in their designated host country until the final.

Albania and Serbia have a historically strained relationship, and a 2014 football match between the two countries was abandoned due to fan trouble. The two teams have not played each other since 2015 but have been drawn together in the same qualifying group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Armand Duka, president of the Albanian Football Association, said: “This is a very significant decision by UEFA, because the 2027 Under-21 Championship will be more than a football tournament. It will be a catalyst for breaking down barriers, enhancing mutual understanding and creating a more positive future for the people of Albania and Serbia. It will also show the world what is possible when people focus on a common objective, inspired by the power of football.”

Branko Radujko, general secretary of the Serbian Football Federation, added: “This will be the biggest football tournament in the history of Serbia, an event that will show the world what is possible when people focus on a common goal, inspired by the power of football. As such, it represents a springboard for the improvement of stadiums and other football facilities across the country, with the support of UEFA.

“A lasting legacy will be created that will inspire the next generation of players, volunteers and football fans in both countries. Finally, we have our own ambitions and we strongly believe in the generation of our young players who will be led by coach Aleksandar Kolarov in this great competition. We also believe that this organisation will be a prelude to winning the hosting of the final of a European club competition, a match that would be played at the new National Stadium.”

Work on Serbia’s new National Stadium commenced in May 2024. The 52,000-seat stadium will be located in Surčin on the outskirts of Belgrade.

The most recent U21 Euros took place in Romania and Georgia in 2023 and was won by England. The 2025 tournament will take place in Slovakia in June.