| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 23 (from 1 confederation) |
| Defending champions |  Hungary U23's |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Soviet Union U23's (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Hungary U23's |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 58 |
| Goals scored | 173 (2.98 per match) |
The 1976 UEFA European Under-23 Championship, which spanned two years (1974–76) had 23 entrants. Soviet Union U-23 won the competition.
The 23 national teams were divided into eight groups (seven groups of 3 + one group of 2). The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided. There was no finals tournament or 3rd-place playoff.