UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 Kicks Off as New Hosts and New History Await

As Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia prepare to host Europe’s top futsal nations, Futsal EURO 2026 promises high-octane action, historic firsts, and the debut of a striking new trophy.

The Countdown Is Over

Tomorrow, the UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 officially kicks off, featuring 16 of Europe’s best futsal teams in a tournament running from 21 January to 7 February 2026. Co-hosted by Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia, matches will be played across Arena Riga, Žalgirio Arena in Kaunas, and Arena Stožice and Tivoli Arena in Ljubljana, offering fans the chance to witness some of the most skill-intensive and fast-paced futsal in the world. This tournament represents both the evolution of European futsal and the next chapter in the sport’s 30-year UEFA history.

(Main picture: Riga venue and the source of the image: Maksims Raspopovs – LinkedIn)

Hosts Ready to Break New Ground

This edition is historic. Latvia and Lithuania will host a senior UEFA tournament for the first time, while Slovenia, which previously hosted the finals in 2018, joins them in a groundbreaking three-nation co-host format. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the hosts for their preparations, calling the tournament a “celebration of teamwork, talent and unity” and noting how futsal continues to grow across the continent.

The hosts are keen to create a lasting legacy, with upgraded arenas, enhanced fan accessibility, and youth engagement programs that aim to inspire the next generation of players. Community initiatives in Riga, Kaunas, and Ljubljana will give local fans unprecedented access to the tournament atmosphere and foster deeper interest in futsal at the grassroots level.

Groups and Fixtures

The 16 teams are split into four groups:

• Group A: Latvia (co-hosts), Croatia, Georgia, France
• Group B: Lithuania (co-hosts), Armenia, Czechia, Ukraine
• Group C: Slovenia (co-hosts), Belarus, Spain, Belgium
• Group D: Italy, Hungary, Portugal (holders), Poland

Matchday 1 (Arena Riga) opens with Croatia vs France at 16:00 CET, featuring Croatia as qualifying group winners and France as tournament favourites following a strong World Cup run. Later, Latvia faces Georgia at 19:00 CET, marking the senior finals debut for Latvia against an experienced Georgia squad. Coaches have emphasized the importance of strong starts, with Croatia’s Marinko Mavrović and France’s Raphaël Reynaud highlighting motivation and strategy, while Latvia’s Massimiliano Bellarte expressed confidence in his squad despite being newcomers.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, leading to semi-finals, a third-place match, and the final at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana on 7 February 2026.

Innovation on and off the Pitch

UEFA continues to push the visual and experiential boundaries of futsal. Each host nation’s pitch has been designed to reflect its identity: Latvia in deep red, Lithuania in yellow, and Slovenia in light green. This builds on a tradition of innovative surfaces that began with the black pitch at the 2010 finals in Hungary, followed by the blue 40×20 m surfaces standard since 2018. For the first time, pitch perimeters also feature tournament partner logos, enhancing sponsorship visibility while maintaining a visually striking environment for fans.

A new UEFA Futsal EURO trophy will be awarded for the first time, engraved with the names of the previous 12 champions. This trophy represents the perfect blend of tradition and innovation, symbolizing the sport’s evolution while celebrating its historical champions.

A 30-Year Evolution

Since the first UEFA national-team competitions in 1996, futsal has grown from a six-team event into a 16-team finals spectacle. The sport now boasts over 30 million participants worldwide. The 2026 qualifiers involved 48 national sides, with 146 matches attracting over 160,000 fans to stadiums across Europe.

Spain has historically dominated the Futsal EURO with seven championships, followed by Italy and Portugal with two each. Russia, Ukraine, Czechia, and other nations have made regular deep runs, demonstrating the growing competitiveness of European futsal. Emerging nations like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Latvia and Lithuania now add new storylines, while women’s futsal has grown from seven national teams in 2019 to 23 teams in 2026 qualifiers.

Record Books and Rising Stars

UEFA Futsal EURO has seen remarkable feats:

• Top scorer in finals: Ricardinho (Portugal) – 22 goals
• Fastest goal: Felipe (Azerbaijan) – 8 seconds (2012)
• Biggest wins: Spain 9‑1 Belarus (2010), Spain 8‑0 Georgia (2022)
• Oldest player: Andrey Tveryankin (Azerbaijan) – 44 years

These records provide historical context and add excitement for fans watching newcomers Latvia, Lithuania, Armenia and others challenge traditional powerhouses like Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France.

What to Watch

Fans should pay attention to:

• Historic debuts: Latvia and Lithuania in senior finals
• Title contenders: Portugal (holders), Spain, Italy, France
• Rising stars: Emerging squads like Armenia, Georgia, Belarus
• Innovative presentation: Host-specific pitch designs and the new trophy
• Opening matches: Croatia vs France and Latvia vs Georgia at Arena Riga

Tomorrow’s opening matches will set the tone for a tournament full of skill, strategy, and high-tempo futsal action.

Where to Watch

UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 will be shown across UEFA’s official broadcast partners, with live coverage available on television and digital platforms in participating territories. In addition, UEFA.tv will play a key role in bringing the tournament to fans across Europe and beyond.

Live matches will be streamed free on UEFA.tv in selected territories, depending on local broadcast rights. Where matches are not available live, highlights of every game will be available on UEFA.tv from midnight CET following each matchday.

Fans can also follow the tournament in full via UEFA.com, which will provide live scores, match reports, fixtures, team news, and in-depth coverage throughout the finals. Access to UEFA.tv typically requires a free MyUEFA account, allowing fans to watch, replay, and engage with official futsal content during the tournament.

With a combination of traditional broadcasters, digital streaming, and UEFA’s own platforms, Futsal EURO 2026 will be widely accessible to supporters eager to follow Europe’s premier futsal competition.

Organ Donation

Futsal Focus is a supporter of Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family’s campaign to raise awareness of Organ Donation. We encourage our readers to learn more about Organ Donation: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

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