- February 6, 2026
- 5:19 pm
- Brief news
Youth teams of Ukraine and Israel under 17 will play in an international tournament in Croatia in February 2026. The competition will take place in the city of Poreč and will be an important part of both teams’ preparation for the second round of the European U-17 Championship qualification.
For both teams, this tournament is not seen as a formality, but as a full-fledged stage for testing the squad, tactical decisions, and physical readiness before official matches under the auspices of UEFA.
Why the tournament is important for both teams
The tournament format allows youth teams to gain experience in matches against opponents with different football schools. Ukraine and Israel approach these games with similar goals: to test the resilience of the team structure, assess the individual progress of players, and adapt to the international pace.
In such conditions, each meeting works as a stress test before the Euro-2026 qualification.
Israel U-17 team: preparation through international practice
The Israel U-17 youth team uses the Croatian tournament as part of a systematic preparation for the official selection. The team regularly participates in European competitions and focuses on the early adaptation of players to intense and tactically rich football.
Matches against Ukraine and other tournament participants allow the Israeli staff to assess how ready the team is for competition in its League B group.
Ukraine U-17 team: testing squad depth
The Ukrainian U-17 team arrived in Croatia as part of a training camp, which runs from February 8 to 16. The tournament is seen as a key element of preparation for the second round of Euro-2026 selection.
The coaching staff uses these matches to analyze the squad depth and player interaction, many of whom represent both Ukrainian clubs and European academies.
Match Israel — Ukraine: the central match of the tournament
The face-to-face meeting Israel — Ukraine is scheduled for February 13 and is considered one of the key matches of the tournament. For both sides, it is an opportunity to compare the level of readiness with a direct competitor in the European selection.
In such matches, the result is important, but the structure of the game itself is equally significant: the organization of defense, reaction to pressure, and the ability to control the pace.
Ukraine U-17 team match schedule
February 11 — Ukraine — Greece
February 13 — Israel — Ukraine
February 16 — Croatia — Ukraine
The start times of the matches will be announced additionally.
Context of Euro-2026 and further steps
After the tournament in Croatia, both teams will continue preparing for the second round of the European U-17 Championship qualification. Ukraine will compete in League B group along with Latvia and Albania, Israel — in its League B qualifying group.
The results of these stages will directly affect not only participation in the final stage of Euro-2026 but also the distribution of leagues in the next Euro-2028 (U-19) selection cycle.
In this context, NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers the tournament in Croatia as an indicator of how synchronously Ukraine and Israel are building a long-term strategy for the development of youth football.
