A threaded connection for steel pipes having improved sealing performance is provided. A threaded connection (10) for steel pipes includes a pin (10) and a box (20). The pin (10) includes a nose (11), a pin shoulder surface (12), a pin sealing surface (13) and a male thread (14). The box (20) includes a box shoulder surface (22), a box sealing surface (23) and a female thread (24). When the position of the portion of the pin sealing surface (13) that first contacts the inner periphery of the box (20) during make-up defines a seal position (P), the distance between the seal position (P) and the end of the male thread (14) adjacent to the pin sealing surface (13) as measured in the pipe-axis direction is denoted by x, and the distance between the tip of the pin (10) and the end of the male thread (14) adjacent to the pin sealing surface (13) as measured in the pipe-axis direction is denoted by L, then, x/L is not smaller than 0.4 and not larger than 0.55.