UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, together with Albanian Football Association President Armand Duka, spoke to UEFA’s official website regarding the UEFA European Under-17 Championship currently taking place in Albania, where the first matches of both groups have been played.
In his remarks, President Čeferin wished great success to the eight participating teams and congratulated the Albanian Football Association and President Duka for organizing the EURO U-17 finals in Albania, following the great success of the UEFA Conference League final held in Tirana in 2022.
“This will be the first UEFA final tournament held in Albania, and I want to congratulate the Albanian Football Association and its President, Armand Duka, on this special occasion, which follows the very successful UEFA Conference League final in Tirana in 2022.
This edition will also be the first EURO U-17 final tournament with the new format featuring eight teams, bringing some of the best youth football teams in the world to compete for glory after two challenging qualification phases.
Over the years, this tournament has marked the international career beginnings of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fàbregas, Toni Kroos, and Eden Hazard, to name a few. I am confident that in 2025 we will see new stars emerge on the international stage.
I wish all participating teams success, and may the best team win!” said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
AFA President Armand Duka expressed that it is a great honor for Albania to host such a prestigious tournament. He emphasized that investments in infrastructure, extensive experience in organizing major events, and Albanian hospitality guarantee a successful event.
“It is an extraordinary honor for us to host this prestigious tournament, especially following the outstanding success of the historic UEFA Conference League final, which brought such an important event to our country for the first time three years ago.
Our continuous investments in infrastructure, extensive experience in organizing major football and administrative events, as well as the Albanian tradition of hospitality, offer us a unique opportunity to demonstrate our unwavering dedication and ever-growing commitment to sport.
In recent years, the Albanian Football Association has successfully organized many international youth tournaments, hosted important UEFA meetings, and implemented sustainable social and environmental initiatives, further strengthening football’s connection with the community.
We are proud to serve as a platform to showcase the most promising talents of European football, and we look forward to sharing with all participants and guests Albania’s rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and hospitality.
We wholeheartedly wish all teams success and hope this tournament will be an unforgettable celebration of European football!” said President Duka.
