2026 UEFA Europa League final: Where is it, who is involved, how to watch
Thursday, May 7, 2026
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The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League final between Freiburg and Aston Villa will take place at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Türkiye.
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A new venue will host the final of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League with Freiburg taking on Aston Villa at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Who is in the 2026 Europa League final?
Freiburg and Aston Villa will meet for the first time in the Europa League final in Istanbul. Julian Schuster's Bundesliga side have made it to their first-ever continental decider, while Villa are in their first UEFA final since they won the European Cup in 1982. The Birmingham side's Spanish coach Unai Emery won this competition three times with Sevilla (2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16) and once with Villarreal (2020/21), but was a losing Europa League finalist with Arsenal in 2018/19.
Where is the 2026 Europa League final?
The 55th edition of the competition, and the 17th since it became the UEFA Europa League, will conclude at Istanbul's Beşiktaş Park.
The 2026 final will be the second major UEFA event to take place at Beşiktaş Park following the 2019 UEFA Super Cup game, in which UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool beat Europa League winners Chelsea 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw. The home of 16-time Turkish Super League champions Beşiktaş, the venue stands on the north side of the Bosphorus and has a capacity of around 40,000.
When is the 2026 Europa League final?
The 2026 UEFA Europa League final will be held on Wednesday 20 May. Kick-off is at 21:00 CET.
How to watch the Europa League final
Details of where to watch the Europa League final will be available here in due course.
Will there be extra time and penalties in the Europa League final?
If scores are level at the end of normal time, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played. If one of the teams scores more goals than the other during extra time, that team are declared the winners. If scores remain level after extra time, the winners are determined by a penalty shoot-out.
Where is next season's Europa League final?
2027: Frankfurt Arena, Frankfurt
What do the Europa League winners get?
The UEFA Europa League trophy is, at 15kg, the heaviest piece of UEFA silverware. To make things extra interesting, it also has no handles.
The 2025/26 winners also gain a place in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.