Hungarian delegation visits EURO Under-21 final

2019. július. 05., 14:54 |

The European Under-21 Championship being hosted by Hungary and Slovenia in 2021 will be the first occasion where 16 teams will participate at the finals. The tournament organisers – among them staff at the Hungarian Football Federation – took the opportunity to gain experience at this year’s Under-21 final in Udine.

Representatives of the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) Event Organisation-, International-, and Communications departments were invited to the U-21 final in Italy by UEFA.

During the two-day visit, Italian organisers and UEFA staff shared numerous useful experiences and information to experts who will be organising the 2021 tournament which will be jointly hosted by Hungary and Slovenia. The next European Championship finals will be the first with sixteen teams participating. Spain will arrive at the tournament – which will be held in six venues – as title holders having defeated Germany 2-1 in this year’s final.

THE ORGANISING OF THE TOURNAMENT IN ITALY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. MANY MATCHES WERE PLAYED IN FRONT OF FULL-HOUSES. LOCAL, NEUTRAL SUPPORTERS EXTENDED A WARM WELCOME TO PARTICIPATING TEAMS.

It was one of the most important aims of the organisers that every team felt at home during the tournament. Despite Italy not reaching the final, the game was played in front of a full stadium in Udine.

Host city municipalities provided great support in attracting interest in the matches. European Championship placards and national flags of the participating teams were visible in the largest squares and main thoroughfares at all the host venues.

Hundreds of volunteers worked at the tournament (Organisers are still receiving applications to be a volunteer at next year’s EURO 2020 at the euro2020.mlsz.hu/onkentes webpage.

THE HUGE INTEREST IN THE TOURNAMENT WASN’T A SURPRISE, SINCE AFTER THE SENIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP THE U-21 EUROS IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT ON THE CONTINENT. THE STARS OF THE FUTURE ARE ON SHOW AT THE UNDER-21 EURO AND MANY OF THEM WILL BE AMONG THE STAR PLAYERS OF BIG CLUBS IN THE COMING YEARS.

Hungarian are in a special situation in this regard, given that within the space of a year they can be part of the two most prestigious events in European football, with Budapest among the host cities of EURO 2020, and Budapest, Székesfehérvár, Szombathely and Gyirmót co-hosting the 2021 Under-21 European Championship. As co-hosts along with Slovenia, Zoltán Gera’s Hungary Under-21 team is assured of participation in 2021.