England U21 vs Spain U21: U21 European Championship Final 2023 Date, Time, How to Watch and Stream (UK) | OneFootball

It’s a rarity that England football sides of any age group reach major finals, so when it does happen, it is invariably quite the occasion in England, and the anticipation certainly does build. In many an instance, due to the nation’s stark lack of footballing silverware, progressing to any final is cause for both celebration and public attention.

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Prior to recent years, European finals were collector’s items, but England's Under-21 victory over Israel to advance to the Under-21 Euro 2023 final marks the third consecutive year that an England side has reached the continental pinnacle, with the Lionesses and Southgate’s men achieving the same feat the two years preceding at Euro 2020 and Euro 2022.

It has been 14 years since the Under-21s last partook in a Euros final, which ended in a humiliating 4-0 defeat to old foes, Germany. With a buoyant Spain side lying in wait for the young Lions, Lee Carsley’s team will be focused on avoiding the same fate that was inflicted on their predecessors in 2009. Now that the identities of the two finalists are confirmed, here is how, when, and where you can soak up the relatively infrequent affair…

What time is the final kicking off?

England go into their under-21 European clash with Spain as marginal favourites. Carsley’s side have played some truly scintillating stuff in the lead-up to this monumental showdown at the Batumi Arena in Georgia, having won every game in the tournament thus far. Kick-off is scheduled for 5 PM (BST) and 8 PM local time as captain, Morgan Gibbs-White will lead his team out, in what will be arguably, the biggest game in their fledgling careers so far.

What date is the final?

For many of these young Englishmen, this has the potential to be the last time they put on the Three Lions jersey at this level, with several of them eyeing the upcoming Euro 2024 campaign in Germany with Southgate’s senior squad. This talented bunch may be taking to the pitch one last dance on Saturday 8th July and will be looking to prove they have what it takes to cut at senior level next summer. An ideal time and date for fans of both countries, who will be able to enjoy the spectacle work-free, with a leisurely beer in hand at the pub, sports bar, or at home. Dreamy.

How to stream the Under-21 European Championships final

England have netted 10 goals in five games, and more impressively, they have conceded none so far, with Burnley’s new signing, goalkeeper James Trafford emphatically demonstrating why he’s definitely worth the £15 million transfer fee paid by the Lancashire side, having kept all five clean sheets. Viewers will be able to tune in to see if Trafford manages to keep a sixth, with the game being streamed on the UEFA website. The final is set to draw big viewing figures and will commence coverage prior to the 5 PM kick-off time.

What channel is the game on?

With England under-21s being in with a shot of claiming their maiden European title, it’s unfortunate that the final is not available on terrestrial TV. However, those that have a fire-stick, or access to a smartphone, laptop, or tablet will be able to watch the game by downloading the UEFA.tv app for free in the UK. The game is available at no extra cost.

Are tickets still available?

If you’re thinking of spontaneously flying out to Batumi, Georgia to catch the game between England and Spain, as per Skyscanner, it will set you back a whopping £250 one-way. Tickets to Saturday’s final are still available, with a very limited selection left via UEFA’s under-21 European Championships official ticketing site. While tickets will be available on some unofficial sites, it is always advisable to double-check the respective site’s reputability. Hosts Romania and Georgia officially broke the record for attendance at this summer’s under-21 Euros with 280,000 spectators across the entire event, a figure that certainly bodes well for a 20,000 sell-out crowd come Saturday evening.

England Team News

Thankfully, for both Lee Carsley, the players and their clubs, the majority of the squad has come through the bi-annual competition unscathed. No new injury or fitness concerns have been reported, and the Lions look set to go into Saturday’s showpiece with Spain full of confidence, and fully fit. Of course, Carsley’s team are without stalwart, Jacob Ramsey, who sustained a knock during England’s 1-0 quarter-final win over Portugal, where he left the stadium on crutches. It was confirmed before the Israel game, that the Aston Villa man would play no further part in tournament proceedings. Full-backs Max Aarons and Ben Johnson are also due to come back into the side following suspension, with the flawless Emile Smith-Rowe and Morgan Gibbs-White both expected to start.

Spain Team News

Spain under-21 boss, Santi Denia, like his counterpart Carsley, will also be relieved to be heading into the decider with no fresh injury troubles. Having spanked Ukraine 5-1 in Tuesday night’s semi-final, La Rojita are a side thriving in their trusty, free-flowing 4-2-3-1 formation. This is the country’s fifth under-21 Euro final in seven attempts, and it could well be record-breaking if it ends in a Spanish win, with Denia’s side going into the game as the joint most successful side ever in the competition’s history with five championships alongside Italy.

Predicted England XI: James Trafford, Max Aarons, Levi Colwill, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, James Garner, Emile Smith-Rowe, Curtis Jones, Angel Gomes, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Gordon.