Poland won all five of their matches in Guadarrama to secure their spot in the final round in Riga, Latvia, next February. Host nation Spain finished second in the group and must now wait to see how the EUR2 event unfolds to determine their qualification fate.
The Men’s U19 World Floorball Championships 2027 EUR1 Qualification took place in Guadarrama, Spain, from Tuesday, 1st September to Saturday, 5th September. Poland had already guaranteed their place in the final tournament on Friday with a commanding 9-4 victory over Belgium. This marks a massive milestone for the team, who unfortunately missed out on the 2025 U19 World Championships.
With qualification locked in, Saturday’s final three matches focused on the high-stakes battle to decide the crucial second-place finish in the group.
France vs Belgium
The day opened with a high-scoring thriller between France and Belgium. Belgium struck first when Cyriel Hoste found plenty of space in the middle to slot his shot past the French goalkeeper. Mathieu Rene equalised for France just a few minutes later, sparking a dominant end to the first period for the French side with further goals from Amelien Malinge-Martinon and Alec Reichen.
However, a strong half-time talk was all Belgium needed to mount a comeback, scoring two quick goals in the second period to level the match at 3-3. Midway through the frame, France responded with a three-goal surge. Though Ludo Girardet pulled one back for Belgium, a 36th-minute goal from Lucien Blondiaux established a comfortable three-goal cushion for France.
Just 45 seconds into the third period, Brent De Backer made it 7-5 to keep Belgium in the hunt. While Belgium kept pushing, every goal they scored seemed to be instantly answered by the clinical French offense. Belgium came within striking distance when Louison Senez made it 9-8 in the 56th minute, but an empty-net goal from France ultimately sealed the 10-8 victory.
France’s Amelien Malinge-Martinon was honored after the match for showcasing exceptional fair play values throughout the tournament.
Belgium’s Brent De Backer and Cyriel Hoste finished as the event’s joint top-point scorers with 11 points each, with De Backer also taking the tournament top-scorer title with 8 goals.
Netherlands vs Poland
Although Poland had already qualified for the U19 WFC, they refused to take their foot off the gas. After just five minutes of play, the clinical Polish side had already raced into a 3-0 lead. Abe van Stralen pulled one back for the Netherlands following brilliant teamwork from Tristen Visser, and Camiel Durand-Terrasson scored early in the second period to give the Dutch team hope at 2-3.
Poland were lightning-fast to respond. Jakub Pieprzak unleashed a spectacular shot, followed by a brilliant pass from Nikodem Szymanski to Piotr Lecki, who was perfectly parked in front of the net to direct the ball home. Lecki struck again on the powerplay, anchoring a ruthless Polish offense that extended the lead to an overwhelming 9-2 by the end of the second period.
Poland continued their scoring clinic in the final frame, leaving the Netherlands content with their two early goals. The final whistle blew at 2-13.
Polish goalkeeper Mateusz Michniewicz celebrated his birthday on Saturday. Emphasising that the squad feels like a true family, he was heavily celebrated by his teammates post-match. The full interview is available to watch on the IFF App.
Italy vs Spain
This was the blockbuster matchup the fans had been waiting for, with second place in the group directly on the line. Both Italian and Spanish supporters packed the stands, creating an electric, deafening atmosphere that lasted throughout the entire game.
Italy opened the scoring when Timo De Icco found the back of the net just as an Italian powerplay expired. Adel Barrajon Marfil quickly equalised for Spain, leaving the score locked at 1-1 at the first break. The second period followed an identical formula—one team would take the lead, only for the other to equalise a few minutes later, heading into the final frame tied at 3-3.
With maximum pressure on both sides, it was a nerve-wracking third period to see who would break. The answer was Spain. Just 29 seconds into the period, Inigo Gomez Garcia put Spain ahead, followed by a goal from Hugo Priego Caballero and a spectacular solo effort from captain Jorge Rodríguez Barbadillo.
Nicolas Casafina clawed one back for Italy to make it 4-6, but Spain pushed right back. By the 52nd minute, Spain held a commanding 8-4 lead, and the game appeared out of reach. Credit to Italy, who fought until the very end, scoring two rapid-fire goals in the 58th minute via Pietro Gregori and De Icco. While these late goals couldn’t alter the final outcome, they successfully dented Spain’s goal difference—a factor that could prove critical when compared against the second-placed team from the upcoming EUR2 event. Spain held on for the 8-6 win to officially lock down second place.
Final standings
