UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin expressed his gratitude to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili for his contribution to making the UEFA 2023 Under 21 European Championship “an outstanding success”, as the tournament was co-hosted in Georgia with Romania between June 21-July 8.
Čeferin praised the “thoughtfulness and care” with which Georgia and Romania “have orchestrated every element”, contributing “immensely” to the event’s overall success and creating “an enjoyable and memorable atmosphere” for all the participants, including players, staff and football fans.
He highlighted that the tournament had achieved the “highest overall attendance ever recorded at this level”, and noted Georgia’s “warm hospitality, beautiful host cities and venues, and the Georgian team's captivating playing style culminated in massive attendance for home team matches, including three consecutive record-breaking crowds” for the Championship’s final tournaments.
"The exhilarating football displayed throughout the tournament will transition into beautiful, lasting memories. Still, this tournament's legacy will last even longer thanks to substantial investments, both in time and money, dedicated to renovating existing infrastructure and constructing new facilities”, the UEFA President added.
Georgia hosted the UEFA U21 matches in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi, with the country’s national team managing to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in history.
