ALEX Watson is set to be involved as Northern Ireland will have a second men’s team competing at Under-19 level in Euro qualifiers this month…
Under-19s boss Gareth McAuley is taking a 20-strong squad to Romania for games against Ukraine, Romania and Kazakhstan in the elite round of qualifiers for U19 Euro 2026 (Group 5). As announced last week, Senan Devine has been named in McAuley’s panel.
However, also next week, Kris Lindsay will be in charge of another U19s team competing in the first qualifying round for U19 Euro 2027 – with Watson called-up.
The situation has arisen because UEFA has changed the qualifying format for the U19 Euros.
Two years ago it announced that from 2026/27 qualifying for the U19 Euros will consist of three rounds compared to the current two rounds.
The new format means Round 1 is played in spring the year before the eventual final tournament, with Round 2 in the autumn and Round 3 in the spring prior to the summer finals.
Rounds 1 and 2 will be played under a two-league format (Leagues A and B) and will involve the final tournament hosts. Round 3 will resemble the current elite round with 28 teams.
The first league games under the new format take place next week. Countries have been placed in League A or B based on how they performed in 2024/25 U17 Euro Round 2. Czechia, who will host UEFA U19 Euro 2027, have been included.
Northern Ireland are in Group B6 where they will face hosts Lithuania and Azerbaijan in a mini tournament.
Lead coach Lindsay’s U19s are due to play Azerbaijan on Saturday 28 March at Raudondvario Stadionas in Raudondvaris (1pm kick-off GMT).
And they will be back at the same venue in central Lithuania on Tuesday 31 March to take on hosts Lithuania. That game has a 4pm start BST.
Everyone at Coleraine FC naturally wishes Alex and Northern Ireland all the very best for the games.