2026 Europa League Final: Host City Revealed!

The 2024/25 Europa League kicks off this week with 36 top teams from Europe vying for the coveted title in UEFA's prestigious secondary continental competition.

Atalanta won the trophy last season by defeating a previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side, earning themselves a place in this season's Champions League in the process.

This year's final takes place at the Sam Mames in Bilbao in this first year of a new format, while UEFA have also confirmed the 2026 hosts. FourFourTwo takes a closer look here...

Where is the 2026 Europa League final going to be held?

Bidding for both the 2026 and 2027 Europa League finals was opened in May 2023, with the criteria being that venues had to be a UEFA category four stadium, using natural grass with a capacity between 40,000 and 60,000 preferred.

It was confirmed in May 2024 that Istanbul's Besiktas Park will host the 2026 final, while the 2027 event will be played in Germany at the Stadion Frankfurt.

The 2026 Europa Conference final will be the second major UEFA final to be played at Bestiktas Park following the 2029 UEFA Super Cup which saw Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties.

The stadium stands on the north side of the Bosphorus and has a capacity of 42,590. Construction was completed in 2016 at a cost of €110million and is the home of Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas.

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This will be the second time that the Europa League final has been played in Turkey, with the 2009 final seeing Shakhtar Donetsk defeat Werder Bremen at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium that was the home of another Istanbul side in Fenerbahce.

The Besiktas Park was built on the former site of the Inonu Stadium, which Besiktas called home between 1947 and 2013.

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The stadium should provide a fitting backdrop for the Europa League final, as it is surrounded by Dolmabahce Palace and the Dolmabahce Clock Tower.