2020–21 UEFA Youth League
 The Colovray Stadium in Nyon was scheduled to host the final. | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Cancelled (2 March – 20 May 2021) |
| Teams | 64 (from 36 associations) |
The 2020–21 UEFA Youth League was scheduled to be the eighth season of the UEFA Youth League, a European youth club football competition organised by UEFA.
As in previous years, the final tournament, consisting of the semi-finals and final, would originally have been played at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon, Switzerland; however, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the format of the competition was changed to a straight knockout tournament starting from 2 March 2021.[1] On 17 February 2021, the UEFA Executive Committee cancelled the tournament.[2]
Teams
A total of 64 teams from at least 32 of the 55 UEFA member associations could enter the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League. They were split into two sections, each with 32 teams:[3]
- UEFA Champions League Path: The youth teams of the 32 clubs which qualified for the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League group stage entered the UEFA Champions League Path. If there was a vacancy (youth teams not entering), it was filled by a team defined by UEFA.
- Domestic Champions Path: The youth domestic champions (U17, U18 or U19) of the top 32 associations according to their 2019 UEFA country coefficients entered the Domestic Champions Path.[4] If there was a vacancy (associations with no youth domestic competition, as well as youth domestic champions already included in the UEFA Champions League path), it was first filled by the title holders should they had not yet qualified, and then by the youth domestic champions of the next association in the UEFA ranking.
In early April 2020, UEFA announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for entering the tournament had been postponed until further notice.[5]
All Domestic Champions Path teams in italics were declared champions or selected to play by the national association following an abandoned season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, and were subject to approval by UEFA as per the guidelines for entry to European competitions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
The list of participants, from 36 associations, was published by UEFA on 7 December 2020. would have made their tournament debuts.
| Rank | Association | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League Path | Domestic Champions Path | ||
| 1 |  Spain
|
Celta Vigo (2019–20 División de Honor Juvenil U19)[Note ESP] | |
| 2 |  England
|
|
|
| 3 |  Italy
|
|
|
| 4 |  Germany
|
1. FC Köln (2019–20 U19 A-Junioren-Bundesliga)[Note GER] | |
| 5 |  France
|
Angers (2019–20 Championnat National U19)[Note FRA] | |
| 6 |  Russia
|
Chertanovo Moscow (2019–20 Russian Youth Football League U17)[Note RUS] | |
| 7 |  Portugal
|
Porto | Benfica (2019–20 Campeonato Nacional Juniores S19)[Note POR]
|
| 8 |  Belgium
|
Club Brugge | Genk (2019–20 Belgian U18 League)[Note BEL] |
| 9 |  Ukraine
|
||
| 10 |  Turkey
|
İstanbul Başakşehir | Galatasaray (2019–20 U19 Elit)[Note TUR]
|
| 11 |  Netherlands
|
Ajax | AZ (2019–20 Eredivisie U19)[Note NED] |
| 12 |  Austria
|
Red Bull Salzburg[PO][YC] (2019–20 Jugendliga U18)[Note AUT] | |
| 13 |  Czech Republic
|
Sparta Prague (2019–20 Czech U19 League)[Note CZE] | |
| 14 |  Greece
|
Olympiacos[PO] | PAOK (2019–20 Superleague K19)[Note GRE] |
| 15 |  Croatia
|
Dinamo Zagreb (2019–20 1. HNL Juniori U19)[Note CRO] | |
| 16 |  Denmark
|
Midtjylland[PO] | Odense (2019–20 U19 Ligaen)[8] |
| 17 |  Switzerland
|
Basel (2019–20 Swiss U18 League)[Note SUI] | |
| 18 |  Cyprus
|
APOEL (2019–20 Cypriot U19 League)[Note CYP] | |
| 19 |  Serbia
|
Red Star Belgrade (2019–20 Serbian U19 League)[Note SRB] | |
| 20 |  Scotland
|
Rangers (2019–20 Scottish U18 League)[Note SCO]
| |
| 21 |  Belarus
|
Dinamo Minsk (2019–20 Belarusian U18 League)[9] | |
| 22 |  Sweden
|
Hammarby (2019 P17 Allsvenskan)[10] | |
| 23 |  Norway
|
Rosenborg (2019 Norwegian U19 Cup)[11] | |
| 24 |  Kazakhstan
|
Kairat (2019 Kazakhstani U17 League)[12] | |
| 25 |  Poland
|
Górnik Zabrze (2019–20 Polish U18 Central Junior League)[Note POL] | |
| 26 |  Azerbaijan
|
Gabala (2019–20 Azerbaijani U19 League)[Note AZE]
| |
| 27 |  Israel
|
Maccabi Haifa (2019–20 Israeli U19 Noar Premier League)[Note ISR] | |
| 28 |  Bulgaria
|
Ludogorets Razgrad (2019–20 U18 BFU Cup)[13] | |
| 29 |  Romania
|
Viitorul Constanța (2019–20 Liga Elitelor U19)[14] | |
| 30 |  Slovakia
|
Žilina (2019–20 Slovak U19 League)[Note SVK] | |
| 31 |  Slovenia
|
Olimpija Ljubljana (2019–20 Slovenian U19 League)[Note SVN] | |
| 33 |  Hungary
|
Ferencváros[PO] | Győri ETO[V-LIE] (2019–20 Hungarian U19 League)[Note HUN] |
| 34 |  North Macedonia
|
Shkëndija[V-YC] (2019–20 Macedonian U19 League)[Note MKD] | |
| 35 |  Moldova
|
Sheriff Tiraspol[V-YC] (2019–20 Divizia Națională U19)[Note MDA] | |
| 36 |  Albania
|
Apolonia[V-PO] (2019–20 Albanian U19 League)[15] | |
| 37 |  Republic of Ireland
|
Waterford[V-PO] (2019 League of Ireland U19 Division)[16] | |
|
|
|
- Notes
- TH Title holders.
- YC Teams playing in the UEFA Champions League Path which were also youth domestic champions.
- PO Teams playing in the UEFA Champions League Path after their senior team qualified for the Champions League group stage via play-offs.
- V-LIE Team playing in the Domestic Champions Path through the vacancy of Liechtenstein (no youth domestic competition).
- V-YC Teams playing in the Domestic Champions Path through the vacancies of teams which qualified for the Champions League group stage automatically.
- V-PO Teams playing in the Domestic Champions Path through the vacancies of teams which qualified for the Champions League group stage via play-offs.
- ^ Austria (AUT): The 2019–20 Jugendliga U18 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria.[17] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Red Bull Salzburg, had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League Path via play-offs, so no team was selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Austrian Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.
- Gabala (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan in the Domestic Champions Path.[19]
Belgium (BEL): The 2019–20 Belgian U18 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium.[20] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Genk (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Royal Belgian Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[21]
Croatia (CRO): The 2019–20 1. HNL Juniori U19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia.[22] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment based on the average number of points per matches played for each team, Dinamo Zagreb, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Croatian Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[23]
Cyprus (CYP): The 2019–20 Cypriot U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus.[24] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, APOEL, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Cyprus Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[25]
Czech Republic (CZE): The 2019–20 Czech U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic.[26] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Sparta Prague (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Football Association of the Czech Republic in the Domestic Champions Path.[27]
England (ENG): The 2019–20 U18 Premier League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[28] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment based on the average number of points per matches played for each team, Manchester City (who were declared champions), had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League Path, so no team was selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[29]
France (FRA): The 2019–20 Championnat National U19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France.[30] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment based on the average number of points per matches played for each team, Angers, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the French Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[31]
Germany (GER): The 2019–20 U19 A-Junioren-Bundesliga was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.[32] The winner of a draw among the top teams of the three divisions at the time of the abandonment, 1. FC Köln, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the German Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[33]
Greece (GRE): The 2019–20 Superleague K19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, PAOK (who were already assured of the title by then and were declared champions),[34] were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Hellenic Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[35]
Hungary (HUN): The 2019–20 Hungarian U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary. The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Győri ETO, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Hungarian Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[36]
Israel (ISR): The 2019–20 Israeli Noar Premier League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel.[37] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Maccabi Haifa (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Israel Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[38]
Atalanta (who were declared champions), had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League Path, so no team was selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Italian Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[40]
Moldova (MDA): The 2019–20 Divizia Națională U19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova.[41] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Sheriff Tiraspol (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Moldovan Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[42]
Netherlands (NED): The 2019–20 Eredivisie U19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, AZ, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Royal Dutch Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[43]
North Macedonia (MKD): The 2019–20 Macedonian U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia.[44] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Shkëndija, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Football Federation of North Macedonia in the Domestic Champions Path.[45]
Poland (POL): The 2019–20 Polish U18 Central Junior League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Górnik Zabrze (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Polish Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[46]
Benfica, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Portuguese Football Federation
in the Domestic Champions Path.Russia (RUS):The 2019–20 Russian Youth Football League U17 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia.[48] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Chertanovo Moscow (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020-21 UEFA Youth League by the Russian Football Union in the Domestic Champions Path.[49]
Rangers, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Scottish Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.[50]
Serbia (SRB): The 2019–20 Serbian U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia.[51] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Red Star Belgrade (who were declared champions), were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Football Association of Serbia in the Domestic Champions Path.[52]
Slovakia (SVK): The 2019–20 Slovak U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia.[53] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Žilina, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Slovak Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.
Slovenia (SVN): The 2019–20 Slovenian U19 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia.[54] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Olimpija Ljubljana, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Football Association of Slovenia in the Domestic Champions Path.[55]
Spain (ESP): The 2019–20 División de Honor Juvenil U19 was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.[56] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment based on the average number of points per matches played for each team, Celta Vigo, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Royal Spanish Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[57]
Switzerland (SUI): The 2019–20 Swiss U18 League was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland.[58] The top team of the league at the time of the abandonment, Basel, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Swiss Football Association in the Domestic Champions Path.
Galatasaray, were selected to play in the 2020–21 UEFA Youth League by the Turkish Football Federation in the Domestic Champions Path.[60]