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Baku hosts UEFA Under-17 Championship draw ceremony
Baku, April 8, AZERTAC
UEFA European Under-17 Championship holders France will face their predecessors as winners, England, while hosts Azerbaijan play Portugal, Belgium and Scotland after the final tournament draw has today been made at Baku Olympic Stadium.
The draw: Group A: Azerbaijan (hosts), Portugal, Belgium, Scotland; Group B: Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Group C: France (holders), Denmark, England, Sweden; Group D: Italy, Serbia, Netherlands, Spain.
Group stage matches will be played at the Baku Olympic Stadium, Qarabag Stadium, 8km Stadium, and Dalga Arena on May 5-12, while the Quarter-finals will be held on May 14-15 at the 8km Stadium, and Dalga Arena.
The Semi-finals and the final will be held on May 18 and 21 respectively at the Baku Olympic Stadium.
France will be one of four nations going for a record third U17 title along with Group C opponents England and Group D duo the Netherlands and Spain the latter having also won the old U16 Championship six times.
Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina have both qualified for the first time, meaning that 38 of UEFA's 54 member countries will have been represented in at least one of the 15 U17 final tournaments.
Ukraine beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 in the qualifying round in Moldova in October.
England have qualified for the 11th time in 15 final tournaments, one occasion more than France, the Netherlands and Spain.