On the opening day here in Lille, we had a rollercoaster of emotions in front of a packed house for the 8-game opening day!

The EuroHockey U18 Championship 2025 burst into life in Lille with a flurry of goals, standout performances, and exciting early statements from the continent’s top rising talents. Day 1 saw all eight women’s teams in action across Pool A and Pool B, showcasing intensity, flair, and plenty of ambition.

The girls got us underway with games from pitch 1 live on EuroHockeyTV

England 12–0 Italy (Pool A)

England got their campaign off to a flying start with a comprehensive 12–0 win over Italy in the tournament opener. Biba Mills was in sensational form, racking up five goals across all four quarters, including two penalty strokes. The English press proved relentless throughout, scoring at regular intervals and leaving the Italians with little room to recover. It was a statement win from Brett Holland’s side, who looked eager to challenge for medals from the outset.

Germany 1–1 Netherlands (Pool A)

A heavyweight clash between Germany and the Netherlands ended honours even in a tight and tense 1–1 draw. Roos Alkemade gave the Dutch the lead with a first-quarter penalty corner, but Germany responded in the third through Lucy Zich’s sharp finish from a set piece. Both teams defended resolutely in the final quarter, and while chances came at both ends, the deadlock remained. With both sides expected to be in the knockout mix, this was an early test of credentials.

Spain 7–0 Poland (Pool B)

Spain delivered a dominant display to sweep past Poland 7–0 in the afternoon session. Camila Grisolia and Paula Aurell led the scoring as Spain built a comfortable lead by half-time and never looked back. The Spanish side combined fast passing with individual flair, slicing through the Polish defence at will. A clean sheet and clinical finishing capped off a perfect start for Eugenio Paulon’s team.

Belgium 7–1 France (Pool B)

Hosts France had a tough start to their campaign as Belgium powered to a 7–1 win in front of a vocal crowd at Pitch 1. Emilie Verhees and Agathe Favart were among the scorers in a ruthless Belgian performance, where five different players got on the scoresheet. France battled hard and were rewarded with a late penalty stroke from Zoé Gaillard, but Belgium had already done the damage with three goals in the third quarter. Glenn Simpson’s side looks sharp and well-drilled heading into Day 2.

With more high-stakes action on the horizon, the stage is well and truly set for an exciting week of youth hockey.

The boy’s event opened with a blend of powerhouse performances and nail-biting finishes. All eight teams took to the field, with Belgium, Spain, and France registering commanding wins, while Germany and England played out a thrilling draw to round off an exciting first day of action.

Belgium 9–1 Scotland (Pool B)

Belgium kicked off their home nations’ campaign with a clinical 9–1 win over Scotland. Jayd Poels led from the front as the Belgians unleashed a constant attacking threat, scoring in every quarter after a goalless opening period. Scotland grabbed a consolation through Matthew Leiper, but Maxime Bertrand’s side were relentless, spreading the goals across the squad in a comprehensive performance.

France 2–1 Netherlands (Pool B)

France delighted the home fans with a hard-fought 2–1 win over the Netherlands. Paul Barbier’s penalty corner and a superb field goal from Dimitri Crepy-Gueniot gave the French a two-goal cushion by the end of the third quarter. Mees Wehmeyer’s late strike gave the Dutch hope, but the hosts held firm to take a valuable three points in Pool B.

Spain 6–0 Czechia (Pool A)

Spain produced a dominant showing to overwhelm Czechia 6–0 in their opening match. Six different players found the back of the net in a display of pace and precision. Enric Morros and Abel Serrano were among those to get on the scoresheet, as Albert Lis’s team controlled proceedings from start to finish and earned a clean sheet to go with the points.

Germany 3–3 England (Pool A)

The final match of the day delivered high drama as Germany and England shared a thrilling 3–3 draw under the lights on Pitch 1. England stormed into a 2–0 lead early on, but Germany mounted a strong comeback with three penalty corner goals, including a last-minute equaliser from John Dammertz. England had edged ahead again in the fourth quarter through Freddie Davies, but Paul Koch’s side showed resilience to snatch a point in the dying seconds.

*****

Meanwhile, in Glasgow at the EuroHockey U18 Championship III, Girls, Ireland put on a strong performance to beat Lithuania 9-0, with Austria sitting in second place in Pool B with a 2-0 win over Türkiye. Pool B is a tighter affair with Wales and Switzerland drawing and Scotland topping the pool overnight with a 4-0 win over Czechia.

Time	Teams	Title	Scoreline
11:15	IRL – LTU	Pool B	9 – 0
13:30	AUT – TUR	Pool B	2 – 0
15:45	WAL – SUI	Pool A	1 – 1
18:00	SCO – CZE	Pool A	4 – 0

Follow the scores live here

And in Alanya at the EuroHockey U18 Championship II, Boys, it was a mixed bag of results with Austria and Poland taking the points on offer in Pool B and Italy and Wales narrowly beating Ireland and Türkiye in Pool B

Time	Teams	Title	Scoreline
09:00	AUT – SUI	Pool B	3 – 0
11:15	POL – UKR	Pool B	5 – 0
16:45	IRL – ITA	Pool A	0 – 1
19:00	TUR – WAL	Pool A	0 – 1

Follow the live scores here!