Carrow Road is to stage England Under-21s' Euro 2013 play-off, first leg match against Serbia next month.

The game will be played on Friday, October 12, kicking off at 6pm and televised live on ESPN.

Stuart Pearce's side sealed top spot in their qualifying group thanks to wins over Azerbaijan and Norway earlier this month – with a squad that included Norwich trio Ryan Bennett, Declan Rudd, and loan-signing Harry Kane.

The Three Lions are now on the brink of qualifying for their fourth consecutive UEFA European Under-21 Championship tournament, with the two-legged tie against a tough Serbian side all that stands in their way.

The Serbs, who finished as unbeaten winners of qualifying Group Four, have good pedigree at under-21 level – reaching the final in 2004 and 2007, as well as a semi-final.

City last played host to England Under-21s in their previous European Championships play-off first leg against Romania on October 8, 2010. The game ended in a 2-1 England win in front of a crowd of 25,749, at the time an all-seater record.

Manager Pearce is hoping for similar support this time.

He told thefa.com: 'We have a real challenge ahead of us, but no more than usual in under-21s football. It is one of the toughest competitions in world football, because no one qualifies for the finals automatically.

'We had fantastic support from the people of Norwich last time we played here, and we really need more of the same this time. It would be great to think we could get near the record crowd we saw there last time.

'If we are to be successful as a young team, we need that level of support again. The players really thrive on a great atmosphere and it's an excellent experience for them.'

Following the Carrow Road fixture, England will jet off to Serbia for the second leg. The winners of the seven play-off ties will join host nation Israel in the tournament finals, taking place from June 5 to June 18, 2013.

Tickets for the clash are on sale now and priced at �10 for adults, and �5 for under-18s, over-65s, and students. A family ticket is �20 (two adults, two under-18s).

Fans can call 0844 826 1902, go online, or visit the orwich City ticket office at Carrow Road or the Canary Stores at Chapelfield or The Mall to buy seats.