U21 EURO qualifying: state of play

Qualifying for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship resumed in September.

Sides from 53 UEFA member associations are vying to join co-hosts Hungary and Slovenia in the 16-team finals. The nine group winners and five best runners-up will qualify.

Group 1

Republic of Ireland are in pole position to qualify for what would be their maiden appearance in the finals, though October's fixture against Italy looms large, while Iceland are also within striking distance.

Italy coach Paolo NicolatoGetty Images

September results
04/09: Iceland 1-0 Sweden
08/09: Luxembourg 2-1 Armenia, Sweden 3-0 Italy

October fixtures
09/10: Iceland vs Italy, Sweden vs Luxembourg
13/10: Luxembourg vs Iceland, Sweden vs Armenia, Italy vs Republic of Ireland 

Group 2

Switzerland, who have won six out of six, and France are tussling for top spot and could be set for a final-day showdown in November. Georgia are their nearest challengers but trail Les Bleuets by six points.

September results
04/09: Switzerland 4-1 Slovakia, Georgia 0-2 France
07/09: Azerbaijan 1-2 France
08/09: Liechtenstein 0-2 Georgia, Slovakia 1-2 Switzerland

October fixtures
08/10: France vs Liechtenstein, Slovakia vs Azerbaijan
09/10: Georgia vs Switzerland
12/10: France vs Slovakia
13/10: Georgia vs Azerbaijan, Switzerland v Liechtenstein

Group 3

England are well on their way to qualifying for their eighth successive final tournament, pulling clear of Austria and Albania thanks to a perfect six victories. They would book their finals berth with a win against Andorra in October.

September results
04/09: Austria 1-5 Albania, Kosovo 0-6 England, Turkey 1-0 Andorra
08/09: Albania 3-1 Andorra, Austria 1-2 England

October fixtures
07/10: Andorra vs England
09/10: Kosovo vs Austria
13/10: England vs Turkey, Kosovo vs Andorra

Group 4

Unbeaten Czech Republic lead one of the tightest sections, but Greece, Scotland and Croatia all have designs on qualifying automatically. The picture is likely to be clearer after some key meetings in October.

Action from Greece's defeat of San Marino Pruccoli

September results
02/09: San Marino 0-6 Czech Republic
03/09: Croatia 5-0 Greece
06/09: San Marino 0-1 Greece
07/09: Czech Republic 0-0 Croatia
08/09: Lithuania 0-1 Scotland

October fixtures
08/10: Lithuania vs Greece, Croatia vs San Marino
09/10: Scotland vs Czech Republic
13/10: Lithuania vs Czech Republic, Greece vs Croatia, San Marino vs Scotland

Group 5

The race for first place would seem to be between Russia and Poland, with the former currently a solitary point ahead having played a game more.

September results
04/09: Latvia 2-2 Serbia, Russia 2-0 Bulgaria, Estonia 0-6 Poland
08/09: Latvia 1-1 Estonia, Poland 1-0 Russia, Serbia 1-2 Bulgaria

October fixtures
09/10: Bulgaria vs Latvia, Serbia vs Poland, Russia vs Estonia
13/10: Latvia vs Russia, Poland vs Bulgaria, Estonia vs Serbia

Group 6

Spain are the team to catch, having dropped just two points from their opening six fixtures. They lead both North Macedonia and Kazakhstan by six points and could be out of sight after October's fixtures.

September results
02/09: Faroe Islands 3-1 Israel
03/09: Kazakhstan 0-4 Montenegro, North Macedonia 0-1 Spain
08/09: Faroe Islands 1-2 North Macedonia, Israel 1-2 Kazakhstan

October fixtures
08/10: Kazakhstan vs North Macedonia, Montenegro vs Israel, Faroe Islands vs Spain
13/10: North Macedonia vs Israel, Spain vs Kazakhstan, Faroe Islands vs Montenegro

Group 7

The Netherlands' unblemished record means they are six points ahead of Portugal, albeit having played a game more. Their contest could go down to the wire since they meet on the final day of qualifying, in November.

The Netherlands won both their September fixturesGetty Images

September results
04/09: Belarus 0-7 Netherlands, Cyprus 0-4 Portugal, Norway 6-0 Gibraltar
08/09: Netherlands 2-0 Norway

October fixtures
08/10: Netherlands vs Gibraltar
09/10: Belarus vs Cyprus, Portugal vs Norway
13/10: Gibraltar vs Portugal, Cyprus vs Netherlands, Norway vs Belarus

Group 8

Only Romania can prevent Denmark from finishing top of the pile in Group 8. The Danes have racked up 19 points from seven games but are only three clear of their nearest challengers, who they meet in November.

September results
04/09: Finland 1-3 Romania, Denmark 1-1 Ukraine, Malta 0-2 Northern Ireland
08/09: Finland 0-2 Ukraine, Northern Ireland 0-1 Denmark, Malta 0-3 Romania

October fixtures
09/10: Northern Ireland vs Finland, Malta vs Denmark, Ukraine vs Romania
13/10: Northern Ireland vs Ukraine, Romania vs Malta, Denmark vs Finland

Group 9

The only five-team group in qualifying is a tight affair, with Belgium, Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina all split by only two points.

September results
03/09: Germany 4-1 Moldova
04/09: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 Wales
08/09: Belgium 4-1 Germany, Moldova 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina

October fixtures
09/10: Moldova vs Germany, Belgium vs Wales
13/10: Moldova vs Belgium, Germany vs Bosnia and Herzegovina