Beginnings and Early Champions
The competition officially began in the 1997/98 season as the UEFA European Championship for Under-18 players. The first titles were won by Denmark and Sweden, before Germany began its period of dominance. The German youth team won the next two consecutive titles, announcing an era in which they would become the team to beat.
From the 2001/02 season, the tournament was rebranded as an Under-19 competition, but the change in format did not stop Germany’s run. Germany also won the first U19 edition, completing a hat-trick of championship titles.
The Rise of New National Teams
France, which reached the final several times in the early years, finally won the trophy in 2003 after defeating Norway. That year marked a turning point, as the tournament became visibly more competitive and the number of teams capable of winning the title began to grow.
Spain claimed its first title in 2004, defeating the previously dominant Germany in the final. Russia made history in 2005 by beating France on penalties, with Elena Danilova becoming one of the most prolific players in the history of the tournament.
Germany won two more titles by 2007, but England, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Italy had by then established themselves as serious contenders, turning the competition into one of the most unpredictable in youth football.
A Decade of Change and Growing Competition
England won the tournament for the first time in 2009, while France lifted the trophy again in 2010. Germany returned to the top in 2011 with a record 8–1 victory over Norway in the final, but just a year later they failed to qualify for the final tournament for the first time in history.
The rise of Scandinavian teams marked the following period — Sweden won the title in 2012, while the Netherlands claimed their first trophy in 2014.
Spain then experienced a run of finals, losing three in a row between 2014 and 2016, before returning to the top in 2017 and launching a new era.
Spanish Dominance
From 2017 onwards, Spain gradually emerged as the most successful team of the modern era in women’s youth football. Titles in 2017 and 2018 were just the beginning of an extraordinary period of success:
- 2022 – Spain win the title in the Czech Republic
- 2023 – They defend the title by beating Germany on penalties
- 2024 – A third consecutive title, equalling two German records
- 2025 – Spain become the first team in the history of UEFA youth competitions to win four consecutive titles, defeating France 4–0
With a total of seven European titles, Spain have officially overtaken Germany and become the most successful national team in the history of the tournament.
Pandemic and the Modern Format
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled. After the break, the competition returned in the 2021/22 season with a new qualification model that guarantees all national teams more competitive matches and more opportunities for development.
This format has further raised the overall quality, made the tournament even more dynamic, and helped an increasing number of countries build stable youth development systems.
A Competition That Shapes the Future of European Football
Year after year, the UEFA Women’s Under-19 European Championship brings new names, new football stories, and talents who will become the stars of European and world football. Many of today’s international players and stars of Europe’s biggest clubs took their first major steps at this very tournament.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, hosting the 2026 European Championship represents a great honour, but also a major opportunity: to promote women’s football, support the development of young players, and show Europe that Bosnia and Herzegovina can host top-level international competitions.
