Matchday Preview at Futsal EURO 2026: Tournament Kicks Off in Riga

Today, January 21, the 2026 UEFA Futsal European Championship officially gets underway. The tournament is being hosted by three countries — Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovenia — with the opening matches taking place in the Latvian capital, Riga, where Group A teams will face off.

The opening of EURO 2026 will be held at Arena Riga, with fans set to enjoy two exciting matchups right away.

Croatia vs France

Kick-off: 16:00 CET, 18:00 Moscow time, 19:00 Yerevan time

Croatia enter the tournament as one of the most consistent teams of the qualifying campaign. The Balkan side won all six of their qualification matches, confidently finishing top of their group. Marinko Mavrović’s team blends experience with youth: captain Franco Jelovčić remains a key figure, while the new generation led by Josip Jurlina has already made a name for itself at youth level.

France, meanwhile, are considered one of the main contenders for top positions. Despite their limited history in EURO final tournaments, Les Bleus made a major breakthrough at the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup, reaching the semi-finals in their debut appearance. In EURO qualifying, France scored 41 goals in six matches, showcasing their impressive attacking power.

The Croatia vs France clash promises to be a decisive battle for first place in Group A.

Latvia vs Georgia

Kick-off: 19:00 CET, 21:00 Moscow time, 22:00 Yerevan time

Tournament hosts Latvia will make their first-ever appearance in the final stage of the UEFA Futsal European Championship. Under the guidance of Massimiliano Bellarte, the team prepared extensively for their debut, playing a busy schedule of friendly matches and securing wins over several strong European sides.

However, Latvia’s opening match comes against an experienced Georgia team, who reached the quarter-finals at EURO 2022. Led by Avtandil Asatiani, the Georgian squad has retained its core while adding new players, successfully navigating the qualification play-offs.

For both teams, this match carries special significance: a win in the opening game could prove crucial in the fight to advance from the group.

The matches will be broadcast live on UEFA.TV.

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