Organising body | UEFA |
---|---|
Founded | 2012 |
Region | Europe |
Number of teams | 4 |
UEFA Under-16 Development Tournament is the association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in order to enable young men and women footballers to experience international football. The tournament was established in 2012, and since then 217 such tournaments were organised, with four national teams competing at each tournament. The tournament is especially focused on the development of young players, with a special set of rules applied for that purpose. For example, there is a minimum playing time for a player in case of a draw and a penalty shootout. The tournament helps young referees to gain experience in international football as well. The tournament also enables the participation of non-UEFA members, with 23 non-UEFA national boys' and girls' national teams competing at the tournament so far.[1]
A similar tournament was organised for the under-15 national football teams in 2019, and since then 21 such tournaments were played. The same under-15 tournament was organised for girls in 2022, with 8 tournaments played since then.[1]
Footnotes
References
- "UEFA development tournaments: opportunities for elite youth talent". UEFA. Basel. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023.