The Malta Under-21 team will face Spain, Russia, Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Lithuania in Group C of the 2021-23 European Championship qualifying campaign, scheduled to kick off in March.
The Malta U-21 team will be led by a new coach in this upcoming competition with Gilbert Agius taking over from the long-serving Silvio Vella who will be taking up a new role within the Malta FA technical sector.
Spain are the biggest attraction of the group, emerging from Pot 1, with Russia coming out of Pot 2 in today’s draw, held at UEFA’s Nyon headquarters. Russia are also in Malta’s group for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, also starting in March.
The other nations in Group C are Lithuania and Northern Ireland, the latter having also been in the Malta U-21 group in the last qualifying competition. The first meeting, played in Antrim in September 2019, ended goalless while Northern Ireland prevailed 2-0 at the Centenary Stadium last September.
The 53 teams will compete for 14 places alongside final tournament co-hosts Georgia and Romania.
