The venue for UEFA's secondary tournament in 2026 has been confirmed
The Europa League trophy(Image credit: Getty Images)
The 2024/25 Europa League gets underway this week, as 36 teams from across Europe compete for the prize of UEFA's 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.
General view of the Besiktas Stadium in May 2024. (Image credit: Getty Images)
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.
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For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
