From May 19 to June 1, Albania will host the UEFA European Under-17 Championship—an important event being held in the country for the first time.

This tournament marks another milestone following the successful hosting of the inaugural UEFA Conference League final. The president of the Albanian Football Association (FSHF), Armand Duka, described UEFA’s decision as a vote of confidence from European institutions.

“I see the future of football here—all these children who have filled the field. Today, in a way, we are officially launching this important event, the UEFA U-17 European Championship. This is a very significant event for Albania that once again confirms our organizational capabilities and those of Albanian football. It also reflects the trust that European institutions have in our expertise and experience in organizing major events,” Duka stated.

The necessary infrastructure has been built to support the tournament.
“To organize this, we—as a medium or modest-sized federation—have carried out extensive work to prepare four stadiums, which are now ready: the ‘National Arena’ (Air Albania Stadium), ‘Elbasan Arena’, ‘Egnatia Arena’, and ‘Niko Dovana’. In addition, 10 training grounds have been prepared. All of this is the result of significant effort and extraordinary dedication,” added Duka.

Beyond the sporting aspect, the U-17 European Championship is also expected to attract a large number of fans to Albania, boosting tourism and visibility for the country on the international stage.