Major General James G. Blunt

The 2017 UEFA European Women's Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Women's Euro 2017, was the 12th edition of the UEFA Women's Championship, the quadrennial international football championship organised by UEFA for the women's national teams of Europe. The competition was expanded to 16 teams (from 12 teams in the previous edition).[1]

The Netherlands was chosen to host the tournament by the UEFA Executive Committee on 4 December 2014.[2]

Germany's 22-year reign as champions of Europe was ended after losing 1–2 to Denmark in the quarter-finals.[3] It was only Germany's second loss in the tournament since 1993.[4] Another former winner, Norway, lost to both finalists, the Netherlands and Denmark, and ended without goals or points.

The Netherlands won their first ever title since the men's UEFA Euro 1988 by beating fellow first time finalists Denmark 4–2 in the final.[5]

Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Scotland and Switzerland made their debuts for the first time.

Host selection

Expressions of interest in hosting the tournament were received from seven associations.[6]

On 4 December 2014 The Netherlands were chosen as hosts for the first time having never previously staged the tournament.[7]

Qualification

A total of 47 UEFA nations entered the competition (including Andorra which entered for the first time at senior women's level), and with the hosts Netherlands qualifying automatically, the other 46 teams competed in the qualifying competition to determine the remaining 15 spots in the final tournament.[2][8] The qualifying competition, which took place from April 2015 to October 2016, consisted of three rounds:[9]

  • Preliminary round: The eight lowest-ranked teams were drawn into two groups of four teams. Each group was played in single round-robin format at one of the pre-selected hosts. The two group winners advanced to the qualifying group stage.
  • Qualifying group stage: The 40 teams (38 highest-ranked teams and two preliminary round qualifiers) were drawn into eight groups of five teams. Each group was played in home-and-away round-robin format. The eight group winners and the six best runners-up (not counting results against the fifth-placed team) qualified directly for the final tournament, while the two remaining runners-up advanced to the play-offs.
  • Play-offs: The two teams played home-and-away two-legged matches to determine the last qualified team.

Qualified teams

The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament. Five teams made their Women's Euro debuts. The only team that qualified in 2013 but did not qualify in 2017 was Finland.

Team Method of
qualification
Date of
qualification
Finals
appearance
Last
appearance
Previous best
performance
FIFA ranking
at start of event
 Netherlands Hosts 4 December 2014 3rd 2013 Semi-finals (2009) 12
 France Group 3 winners 11 April 2016 6th 2013 Quarter-finals (2009, 2013) 3
 Germany Group 5 winners 12 April 2016 10th 2013 Champions (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013) 2
 Switzerland Group 6 winners 4 June 2016 1st Debut 17
 England Group 7 winners 7 June 2016 8th 2013 Runners-up (1984, 2009) 5
 Norway Group 8 winners 7 June 2016 11th 2013 Champions (1987, 1993) 11
 Spain Group 2 winners 7 June 2016 3rd 2013 Semi-finals (1997) 13
 Sweden Group 4 winners 15 September 2016 10th 2013 Champions (1984) 9
 Iceland Group 1 winners 16 September 2016 3rd 2013 Quarter-finals (2013) 19
 Scotland Group 1 runners-up[^] 16 September 2016 1st Debut 21
 Belgium Group 7 runners-up[^] 16 September 2016 1st Debut 22
 Austria Group 8 runners-up[^] 20 September 2016 1st Debut 24
 Denmark Group 4 runners-up[^] 20 September 2016 9th 2013 Third place (1991, 1993) 15
 Italy Group 6 runners-up[^] 20 September 2016 11th 2013 Runners-up (1993, 1997) 18
 Russia Group 5 runners-up[^] 20 September 2016 5th 2013 Group Stage (1997, 2001, 2009, 2013) 25
 Portugal Play-offs winner 25 October 2016 1st Debut 38
Notes
  1. ^
    The best six runners-up among all eight groups qualified for the final tournament.

Final draw

The final draw was held on 8 November 2016, 17:30 CET (UTC+1), at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam.[10][11] The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams. The teams were seeded according to their coefficient ranking following the end of the qualifying group stage (excluding the play-offs),[12] with the hosts Netherlands assigned to position A1 in the draw. Each group contained one team from each of the four seeding pots.[13]

Pot 1
Team Coeff Rank
 Netherlands H 34,642 9
 Germany TH 42,957 1
 France 42,355 2
 England 39,880 3
Pot 2
Team Coeff Rank
 Norway 39,161 4
 Sweden 38,036 5
 Spain 37,655 6
 Switzerland 36,629 7
Pot 3
Team Coeff Rank
 Italy 34,775 8
 Iceland 34,141 10
 Scotland 33,632 11
 Denmark 32,915 12
Pot 4
Team Coeff Rank
 Austria 31,882 13
 Belgium 31,213 14
 Russia 30,367 15
 Portugal 22,900 23
  • H Hosts (assigned to position A1 in the draw)
  • TH Title holders

Venues

Seven venues in seven different towns were used in the tournament.[2]

Breda Enschede Utrecht
Rat Verlegh Stadion De Grolsch Veste Stadion Galgenwaard
Capacity: 19,000 Capacity: 30,205 Capacity: 23,750
4 group matches, 1 semi-final 1 semi-final, Final 4 group matches
Rotterdam Deventer
Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel De Adelaarshorst
Capacity: 10,600 Capacity: 10,500
4 group matches, 1 quarter-final 4 group matches, 1 quarter-final
Tilburg Doetinchem
Koning Willem II Stadion De Vijverberg
Capacity: 14,500 Capacity: 12,500
4 group matches, 1 quarter-final 4 group matches, 1 quarter-final

Match officials

A total of 11 referees, 21 assistant referees and 2 fourth officials were appointed for the final tournament.[14]

Squads

Each national team have to submit a squad of 23 players, three of whom must be goalkeepers. If a player is injured or ill severely enough to prevent her participation in the tournament before her team's first match, she can be replaced by another player. The squad list must be published no later than 10 days before the tournaments opening match.[9]

Group stage

Result of teams participating in UEFA Euro 2017

The schedule of the competition was announced on 23 September 2015.[15] The group winners and runners-up advance to the quarter-finals.

All times are local, CEST (UTC+2).[16]

Tiebreakers

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Articles 19.01 and 19.02):[9]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams have the tied after applying all criteria above, met in the last round of the group, and rankings are relevant for qualification for the next stage;
  8. Disciplinary points (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
  9. UEFA coefficient for the final draw.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands (H) 3 3 0 0 4 1 +3 9 Knockout stage
2  Denmark 3 2 0 1 2 1 +1 6
3  Belgium 3 1 0 2 3 3 0 3
4  Norway 3 0 0 3 0 4 −4 0
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Netherlands 1–0 Norway
Van de Sanden 66' Report
Denmark 1–0 Belgium
Troelsgaard 6' Report
Attendance: 5,054

Norway 0–2 Belgium
Report
Attendance: 8,477
Netherlands 1–0 Denmark
Spitse 20' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 10,599
Referee: Riem Hussein (Germany)

Belgium 1–2 Netherlands
Wullaert 59' Report
Norway 0–1 Denmark
Report Veje 5'

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Germany 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 Knockout stage
2  Sweden 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
3  Russia 3 1 0 2 2 5 −3 3
4  Italy 3 1 0 2 5 6 −1 3
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Italy 1–2 Russia
Mauro 88' Report
Attendance: 669
Referee: Jana Adámková (Czech Republic)
Germany 0–0 Sweden
Report

Sweden 2–0 Russia
Report
Germany 2–1 Italy
Report Mauro 29'

Russia 0–2 Germany
Report
Sweden 2–3 Italy
Report

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Austria 3 2 1 0 5 1 +4 7 Knockout stage
2  France 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 5
3  Switzerland 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4
4  Iceland 3 0 0 3 1 6 −5 0
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Austria 1–0 Switzerland
Burger 15' Report
France 1–0 Iceland
Le Sommer 86' (pen.) Report

Iceland 1–2 Switzerland
Friðriksdóttir 33' Report
France 1–1 Austria
Henry 51' Report Makas 27'
Attendance: 4,387
Referee: Jana Adámková (Czech Republic)

Switzerland 1–1 France
Crnogorčević 19' Report Abily 76'
Iceland 0–3 Austria
Report
Attendance: 4,893
Referee: Riem Hussein (Germany)

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 3 3 0 0 10 1 +9 9 Knockout stage
2  Spain 3 1 0 2 2 3 −1 3[a]
3  Scotland 3 1 0 2 2 8 −6 3[a]
4  Portugal 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3[a]
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Head-to-head records:
    • Spain: 3 pts (1 W, 0 D, 1 L), +1 GD (2 GF, 1 GA)
    • Scotland: 3 pts (1 W, 0 D, 1 L), 0 GD (2 GF, 2 GA)
    • Portugal: 3 pts (1 W, 0 D, 1 L), −1 GD (2 GF, 3 GA)
Spain 2–0 Portugal
Report
Attendance: 3,188
England 6–0 Scotland
Report

Scotland 1–2 Portugal
Cuthbert 68' Report
England 2–0 Spain
Report
Attendance: 4,879

Portugal 1–2 England
C. Mendes 17' Report
Scotland 1–0 Spain
Weir 42' Report
Attendance: 4,840
Referee: Jana Adámková (Czech Republic)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra time and penalty shoot-out are used to decide the winner if necessary.[9]

On 1 June 2017, the UEFA Executive Committee agreed that the competition would be part of the International Football Association Board (IFAB)'s trial to allow a fourth substitute to be made during extra time.[17]

Bracket

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
29 July – Doetinchem
 
 
 Netherlands2
 
3 August – Enschede
 
 Sweden0
 
 Netherlands3
 
30 July – Deventer
 
 England0
 
 England1
 
6 August – Enschede
 
 France0
 
 Netherlands4
 
30 July – Rotterdam
 
 Denmark2
 
 Germany1
 
3 August – Breda
 
 Denmark2
 
 Denmark (p)0 (3)
 
30 July – Tilburg
 
 Austria0 (0)
 
 Austria (p)0 (5)
 
 
 Spain0 (3)
 

Quarter-finals

Netherlands 2–0 Sweden
Report
Attendance: 11,106

Germany 1–2 Denmark
Kerschowski 3' Report


England 1–0 France
Taylor 60' Report

Semi-finals


Netherlands 3–0 England
Report

Final

Netherlands 4–2 Denmark
Report

Statistics

Goalscorers

5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goal

Source: UEFA.com[20]

Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament by UEFA.[21]

Individual awards
Player of the
Tournament[22]
Netherlands Lieke Martens
Golden Boot[23] England Jodie Taylor
5 goals
0 assists
328 minutes played
Silver Boot[23] Netherlands Vivianne Miedema
4 goals
0 assists
536 minutes played
Bronze Boot[23] Netherlands Lieke Martens
3 goals
2 assists
525 minutes played
UEFA Team of the Tournament[24]
Goalkeeper Netherlands Sari van Veenendaal
Defenders Austria Verena Aschauer
England Lucy Bronze
Netherlands Anouk Dekker
England Steph Houghton
Midfielders Netherlands Jackie Groenen
Netherlands Lieke Martens
Denmark Theresa Nielsen
Netherlands Sherida Spitse
Forwards Denmark Pernille Harder
England Jodie Taylor

Prize money

A total prize money of €8,000,000 were available, an increase from €2,200,000 in 2013, with the following breakdown:[25]

Stage Prize money Teams
Group stage €300,000 8
Quarter-finals €500,000 4
Semi-finals €700,000 2
Runners-up €1,000,000 1
Champions €1,200,000 1

Broadcasting rights

Matches were streamed on UEFA.com and UEFA.tv (YouTube) in territories where no partner had been appointed.[26]

Notes

  1. ^ The Germany v Denmark match, originally scheduled on 29 July 2017, 20:45 CEST, was postponed to the following day due to adverse weather conditions.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Women's EURO and U17s expanded". UEFA.com. 8 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Netherlands to host UEFA Women's EURO 2017". UEFA.com. 4 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Women's Euro 2017: Germany 1-2 Denmark". BBC Sport. 30 July 2017.
  4. ^ UEFA.com (30 July 2017). "Germany's 22-year Women's EURO domination in numbers". UEFA.com.
  5. ^ "Dutch delight: how the Netherlands won Women's EURO". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Seven nations express 2017 interest". UEFA.com. 28 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Netherlands to host 2017 women's European Championships". BBC Sport. 4 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Record entry for Women's EURO". UEFA.com. 18 December 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d "Regulations of the UEFA European Women's Championship, 2015–17" (PDF). UEFA.com.
  10. ^ "Women's EURO draw on 8 November in Rotterdam". UEFA.com. 27 July 2016.
  11. ^ "UEFA Women's EURO 2017 draw". UEFA.com. 8 November 2016.
  12. ^ "UEFA Women's National Team Coefficient Ranking" (PDF). UEFA.com.
  13. ^ "France, England join Netherlands, Germany as top seeds". UEFA.com. 6 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Women's EURO referees – the tournament's 17th team". UEFA. 22 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Women's EURO 2017 schedule announced". UEFA.com. 23 September 2015.
  16. ^ "UEFA Women's Euro 2017 Match Schedule" (PDF). UEFA.com.
  17. ^ "Comprehensive bidding regulations approved for all finals and final tournaments". UEFA.org. 1 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Germany v Denmark quarter-final postponed to Sunday". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Netherlands vs. Denmark - 6 August 2017". Soccerway. Perform Group. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Statistics — Tournament phase — Player statistics — Goals". UEFA.com. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  21. ^ "UEFA Women's EURO 2017 roll of honour". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  22. ^ "Lieke Martens named player of the tournament". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  23. ^ a b c "Jodie Taylor wins Women's EURO adidas Golden Boot". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  24. ^ "Official UEFA Women's EURO 2017 Best Eleven". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  25. ^ "Lyon to host 2018 UEFA Europa League final". UEFA. 9 December 2016.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac UEFA.com. "UEFA.com". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-03.
  27. ^ Dowell, Ben (15 November 2016). "Channel 4 replaces BBC as home of live Women's Euro 2017 football". Radio Times. Retrieved 21 May 2017.

External links