Under-21 EURO 2023 Georgia and Romania: Host cities and stadiums, matches by venue

We profile the venues that stage the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament in Georgia and Romania from 21 June to 8 July.

Georgia
Batumi, Batumi Arena: 3 Group C games, Semi-final, Final
Kutaisi, Shengelia Arena: 3 Group C games, Quarter-final
Tbilisi, Meskhi Stadium: 3 Group A games, Quarter-final
Tbilisi, Paichadze Stadium: 3 Group A games (involving Georgia)

Romania
Bucharest, Giulești Stadium: 3 Group B games, Quarter-final
Bucharest, Steaua Stadium: 3 Group B games (involving Romania), Semi-final
Cluj-Napoca, CFR Cluj Stadium, 3 Group D games
Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Arena: 3 Group D games, Quarter-final

Georgia

Batumi

Highly rated as a tourist destination, Batumi is a major city on the Black Sea coast.

Places to see

• Batumi Boulevard: Built from 1881, the wide promenade follows the coastline and is full or bars, café-lounges, restaurants, amusement rides for children, various colourful and dancing fountains, vegetation and sculptures.
• Botanic Garden: Showcasing flora from across the globe.
• Alphabet Tower: A 130-metre-high iron construction in the shape of a DNA strand celebrating the Georgian alphabet, in Miracle Park in central Batumi. From the top are views across Batumi and the Black Sea.

Batumi Arena

Home team: Dinamo Batumi
Capacity: 20,035

22 June: Czechia vs England (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
25 June: Czechia vs Germany (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
28 June: England vs Germany (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
5 July: Semi-final (18:00 CET/20:00 local)
8 July: Final (18:00 CET/20:00 local)

• Opened in October 2020, with the panelled exterior inspired by swirling traditional Georgian dances.
• Has staged matches for the Georgian football and rugby union teams.

The panelled exterior of Batumi ArenaAFP via Getty Images

Kutaisi

One of the oldest cities in Europe, with a history back to the sixth century BCE.

Places to see

• Bagrati Cathedral: Built in the 11th century by King Bagrat III to celebrate the unification of Georgia, it towers over the city.
• Colchis Fountain: Standing in the main square and decorated with enlarged models of archaeological artifacts found across Georgia.
• White Bridge: Dating from 1850 and painted white in 1860, providing as view over the old town.

Shengelia Arena

Home team: Torpedo Kutaisi
Capacity: 12,000

22 June: Germany vs Israel (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
25 June: England vs Israel (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
28 June: Israel vs Czechia (Group C, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
2 July: Quarter-final (18:00 CET/20:00 local)

• Opened in 1962 and redeveloped in 1998 and 2010.
• Named after the famous Georgian footballer Ramaz Shengelia.

Tbilisi

Tbilisi city view overlooking the Paichadze StadiumAFP/Getty Images

The capital of Georgia famed for its history, architecture and scenery.

Places to see

• Old Tbilisi: The main sights are clustered in a district famed for its sulphur bathhouses fed by natural hot springs.
• Narikala Fortress: Contstructed high above the city in the fourth centrury and visible from across Tbilisi.
• Rustaveli Avenue: Leading to Freedom Square, shops and important cultural building lie along its 1.5km length.

Meskhi Stadium

Home team: Locomotive Tbilisi
Capacity: 24,600

21 June: Belgium vs Netherlands (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
24 June: Portugal vs Netherlands (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
27 June: Portugal vs Belgium (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
1 July: Quarter-final (18:00 CET/20:00 local)

• Opened in 1952 and rebuilt in 2001 as the first football-specific all-seater stadium in Georgia.
• Redeveloped again ahead of the 2017 Under-19 EURO (where a crowd of 25,154 watched a match between Czechia and Georgia) and now owned by the Georgian Football Federation, also staging major rugby matches in both codes.

Meskhi Stadium SPORTSFILE

Paichadze Stadium

Home teams: Dinamo Tbilisi, Georgia national team
Capacity: 54,000

21 June: Georgia vs Portugal (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
24 June: Georgia vs Belgium (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)
27 June: Netherlands vs Georgia (Group A, 18:00 CET/20:00 local)

• The biggest football stadium in Georgia, dating back to 1935 and renovated in 1976, 2007 (becoming all-seater) and 2015 (ahead of the UEFA Super Cup between Barcelona and Sevilla, which ended 5-4).
• Located in the city centre, it once held a crowd of 110,000 for a European Cup tie between Dinamo and Liverpool.

Paichadze StadiumUEFA via Getty Images

Romania

Bucharest

BucharestGetty Images/iStockphoto

The capital of Romania since 1862 and a major Central European city nicknamed 'Little Paris' (though not so little with a population of around 2 million) and a venue for UEFA EURO 2020.

Places to see

• Palace of the Parliament: The second largest administrative building in the world, constructed between 1984 and 1997, housing the Parliament as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art and several other institutions.
• Old City Centre: The historic heart that survived demolishing in the Communist area.
• National Art Museum: Housed in the neo-classical former Royal Palace with more than 70,000 exhibits.

Giulești StadiumGetty Images

 Giulești Stadium

Home team: Rapid București
Capacity: 14,054

21 June: Ukraine vs Croatia (Group B, 18:00 CET/19:00 local)
24 June: Spain vs Croatia (Group B, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
27 June: Spain vs Ukraine (Group B, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
1 July: Quarter-final (21:00 CET/22:00 local)

• Opened in March 2022 as a new home for Rapid, also including an athletics track under the stands among other facilities.
• Staged Romania's two UEFA Nations League games against Finland and Montenegro in June 2022.

Steaua Stadium

Home team: CSA Steaua București
Capacity: 31,254

21 June: Romania vs Spain (Group B, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
24 June: Romania vs Ukraine (Group B, 18:00 CET/19:00 local)
27 June: Croatia vs Romania (Group B, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
5 July: Semi-final (21:00 CET/22:00 local)

• Built in 2021 to replace the former stadium of the same name.
• Inaugurated with a friendly between Steaua and OFK Beograd, just as when the original stadium opened in 1974.

Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca, dating from ancient times, is the cultural and economic capital of Transylvania.

Places to see

• Saint Michael's Church: The tallest church tower in Romania, a gothic landmark that is the symbol of Cluj-Napoca.
• Museum Square: Contains the Franciscan Church and Monastery, the Matia Corvin House, the National History Museum of Transylvania and the Carolina Obelisk, the first secular monument of the city.
• Mirrored Street (Iuliu Maniu): As the name suggests two identical buildings face each other across the street, said by legend to have been built by a nobleman so his two heiresses would not feel one was being favoured.

CFR Cluj Stadium

Home team: CFR Cluj
Capacity: 22,198

22 June: Norway vs Switzerland (Group D, 18:00 CET/19:00 local)
25 June: Norway vs France (Group D, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
28 June: Switzerland vs France (Group D, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)

• Opened in 1973 with a friendly between CFR and Cuba, the stadium was modernised between 2004 and 2008 as the club began to come to European prominence.
• Has hosted several Romanian national-team games and centrally located.

CFR Cluj StadiumUEFA via Getty Images

Cluj Arena

Home teams: Universitatea Cluj, Olimpia Cluj
Capacity: 30,020

22 June: France vs Italy (Group D, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
25 June: Switzerland vs Italy (Group D, 18:00 CET/19:00 local)
28 June: Italy vs Norway (Group D, 20:45 CET/21:45 local)
2 July: Quarter-final (21:00 CET/22:00 local)

• Opened in 2011 on the site of the old Ion Moina Stadium a short walk from the Old Town.
• Also stages concerts as well as occasional Romanian national team games.

Cluj ArenaGetty Images