The Hungarian bid was selected during a meeting of UEFA's Executive Committee, on November 30, 2007, in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The bid was picked ahead of three other entries from Belgium (Charleroi and Antwerp), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) and Turkey (Istanbul).

Qualifying was played in two stages, with 16 sides competing in the preliminary round between 14 and 22 February 2009.

The winners of the four groups and two best runners-up progressed to join the other 22 entrants in the next phase.

In the main qualifying round, which took place between 19 and 22 March, there was seven groups of four with the first-placed teams and four best runners-up advancing to the final tournament.