The time has come! Futsal EURO starts today.

Tonight, the 13th UEFA Futsal European Championship kicks off in Rīga with a match between Croatia and France, followed, three hours later, by Latvia’s debut against Georgia at Arena Rīga. For the first time, Latvia will compete in a European Futsal Championship, alongside fellow Baltic co-hosts Lithuania who will start their tournament tomorrow.

The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups, with the top two from each advancing to the quarter-finals. Latvia and Lithuania were initially set as sole hosts, but scheduling issues arose after Belarus made the final tournament, forcing UEFA to include Slovenia as a co-host to ensure all matches could be played under the necessary regulations.

Latvia (FIFA Rank 52) is in Group A alongside France (10), Croatia (14), and Georgia (15). Head coach Massimiliano Bellarte has been working intensively on the squad’s preparation and mentality, noting in an interview to Baltic Football News before the tournament:

“This stage will be completely different, it will be tougher. Preparation is important, but to get results we need to believe that something extraordinary is possible.”

Bellarte highlighted a major shift in approach over the past months. The team has moved from a cautious, defensive style to a high-pressing, proactive futsal philosophy, while building cohesion and adaptability. With the final squad named two days ago, it combines domestic talent with three internationals playing abroad who will need to be the leaders of the team, with seven players from the champions Riga Futsal Club providing a strong core.

Latvia faces Georgia in its first match at 20:00 local time. Georgia reached the quarter-finals in their EURO debut four years ago and have reshaped their squad to rely primarily on domestic talent (with previously having a lot Brazilian players playing for their nation), which includes seven players from New Visions Georgians and five from champions and current league leaders MFC CIU. Historically, Latvia and Georgia have met four times, with Latvia achieving a 6:2 victory in November 2024 – their first win over the side.

Tournament favorites and debutants: Spain remains the clear frontrunner, having won seven of the 12 previous EURO titles, while Portugal has stopped Spain in the last two tournaments and are back-to-back champions looking to become the first nation since Spain to achieve a three-peat. Ukraine, a two-time runner-up in the early 2000s, is also among the favorites.

Alongside Latvia and Lithuania, Armenia makes its EURO debut, marking the second-highest number of first-time participants in EURO history. Lithuania, who will host their group games in Žalgirio Arena in Kaunas, will start their tournament tomorrow evening against Czechia in their opening match.