From two legs and no neutral ground to a single night in a chosen city.
Europe's second competition has spent most of its life in the shadow of the first, which is exactly why it rewards knowing. It ran two-legged finals until 1997, so for twenty-five years there was no single venue, no one crowd, and often no clean narrative — a tie could be won at home in front of your own supporters and nobody outside the two cities would especially notice.
It has also been the competition where clubs outside the established elite actually won things. The roll of honour includes names that never came close to a European Cup, and finals decided in front of crowds that would embarrass a modern group stage. Since 2009 it has carried the Europa League name and a Champions League place for the winner, which changed what the competition is for more than anything on the pitch did.
Every final since 1972 is below, with the aggregate scores from the two-legged years kept as aggregates rather than flattened into a single scoreline.
Play the uefa cup and europa league finals quizEvery answer below is quoted from the page it came from. Where a claim could not be confirmed against a source, it was left out rather than guessed at.
What was notable about the 1972 UEFA Cup final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur?
The first UEFA club final between two teams from one association
This was the first UEFA club competition final to feature two teams from the same association. source
What was the attendance for the first leg of the 1973 UEFA Cup final at Anfield?
41,169
Watched by a crowd of 41,169 at Anfield, Liverpool took the lead in the first leg when Kevin Keegan scored in the 21st minute. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1974 UEFA Cup final between Tottenham Hotspur and Feyenoord?
4–2 to Feyenoord
Feyenoord won 4–2 on aggregate. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1975 UEFA Cup final between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Twente?
5–1 to Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach won 5–1 on aggregate. source
Where was the second leg of the 1976 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Club Brugge played?
Olympiastadion, Bruges
The 1976 UEFA Cup Final were association football matches played over two-legs between Liverpool of England and Club Brugge of Belgium on 28 April 1976 at Anfield, Liverpool and on 19 May 1976 at the Olympiastadion, Bruges. source
How was the 1977 UEFA Cup final between Juventus and Athletic Bilbao decided?
Juventus won on away goals, the tie level at 2–2
Juventus won 2–2 on away goals. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1978 UEFA Cup final between PSV Eindhoven and SEC Bastia?
3–0 to PSV Eindhoven
PSV won the tie 3–0 on aggregate, with a 3–0 victory at home following a goalless draw in Bastia. source
Which club did Borussia Mönchengladbach beat in the 1979 UEFA Cup final?
Red Star Belgrade
The 1979 UEFA Cup Final was played on 9 May 1979, and 23 May 1979, between Red Star Belgrade of SFR Yugoslavia and Borussia Mönchengladbach of West Germany. source
What was unique about the semi-final line-up of the UEFA Cup season that produced the 1980 final?
All four semi-finalists were clubs from the West German Bundesliga
This season of the UEFA Cup was unique in that all four teams that played in the semi-finals of the competition were clubs from the Bundesliga in West Germany – VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Mönchengladbach. source
Which referee waved away Ipswich Town's penalty appeal early in the first leg of the 1981 UEFA Cup final?
Adolf Prokop
Ipswich were denied a strong penalty appeal in the second minute of the first half when the referee, Adolf Prokop, waved away appeals after Gates was brought down by AZ's Richard van der Meer. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1982 UEFA Cup final between IFK Göteborg and Hamburg?
4–0 to IFK Göteborg
IFK won 4–0 on aggregate to win the first major European honour in the club's history. source
Why did Anderlecht play the first leg of the 1983 UEFA Cup final at the Heysel Stadium?
Because their own new stadium was under construction
Because of the construction of their new stadium, Anderlecht played their home games in the Heysel stadium in 1983, which included the first leg of the UEFA Cup final. source
How was the 1984 UEFA Cup final between Anderlecht and Tottenham Hotspur decided?
Tottenham won 4–3 on penalties after a 2–2 aggregate
Tottenham won 4–3 on penalty kicks after the tie finished 2–2 on aggregate. source
Which Hungarian club did Real Madrid beat in the 1985 UEFA Cup final?
Videoton
The 1985 UEFA Cup Final was a football tie played on 8 May and 22 May 1985 between Real Madrid of Spain and Videoton of Hungary. source
Why was the second leg of the 1986 UEFA Cup final played in Berlin rather than Cologne?
UEFA required Köln to play at least 350 km from their home stadium
Additionally, the match was played in Berlin instead of Cologne because of sanctions imposed by UEFA on Köln stipulating that they must play at least 350 km from their home stadium after trouble caused by supporters during the 2nd leg of the semi-final against Waregem. source
Which Scottish club did IFK Göteborg beat in the 1987 UEFA Cup final?
Dundee United
The 1987 UEFA Cup Final was a football tie played on 6 and 20 May 1987 between IFK Göteborg of Sweden and Dundee United of Scotland. source
How was the 1988 UEFA Cup final between RCD Español and Bayer Leverkusen decided?
Leverkusen won 3–2 on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate
Leverkusen won 3–2 on penalties after a 3–3 draw on aggregate. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1989 UEFA Cup final between Napoli and Stuttgart?
5–4 to Napoli
Captained by Diego Maradona, Napoli won the two-legged final 5–4 on aggregate to win their first major European honour. source
Why was the second leg of the 1990 UEFA Cup final played in Avellino?
Fiorentina's substitute stadium in Perugia had been closed
The second game was played in Avellino because Fiorentina's substitute stadium in Perugia was closed after the incidents in the semifinal game against SV Werder Bremen. source
What was the aggregate score in the all-Italian 1991 UEFA Cup final between Internazionale and Roma?
2–1 to Internazionale
Inter won 2–1 on aggregate after winning the first leg 2–0 but losing the second 1–0. source
What did Ajax's win in the 1992 UEFA Cup final make them?
The second club to have won all three major European trophies
The victory made Ajax only the second club—after Torino's city rivals Juventus—to have won all three major European trophies at the time (European Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup). source
Which club did Juventus eliminate in the semi-finals on the way to the 1993 UEFA Cup final?
Paris Saint-Germain
Juventus successfully saw off Paris Saint-Germain 3–1 on aggregate. source
What was the aggregate score in the 1994 UEFA Cup final between Internazionale and Austria Salzburg?
2–0 to Internazionale
Internazionale won both games 1–0 to record a 2–0 aggregate victory. source
At which ground was the first leg of the 1995 UEFA Cup final played?
Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma
The first leg at Parma's Stadio Ennio Tardini ended in a 1–0 victory for the home team. source
At which ground was the second leg of the 1996 UEFA Cup final played?
Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
The first leg was played at the Olympiastadion in Munich on 1 May 1996, and the second leg was played two weeks later at Parc Lescure in Bordeaux. source
What was notable about the 1997 UEFA Cup final between Schalke 04 and Internazionale?
It was the last UEFA Cup final to be played over two legs
It was to be the last UEFA Cup final to be played over two legs, future finals being one-off games at a neutral ground. source
What was notable about the 1998 UEFA Cup final between Internazionale and Lazio?
It was the first UEFA Cup final played as a single leg at a neutral venue
It was the first time that the UEFA Cup final was played as a single leg at a neutral venue. source
Who refereed the 1999 UEFA Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow?
Hugh Dallas
Hugh Dallas, the Scottish referee who had also officiated in the Franco-Italian 1998 World Cup quarter-final, conducted the coin toss, which was won by Marseille captain Laurent Blanc and the Frenchman elected to shoot towards his team's own fans in the second half. source
How was the 2000 UEFA Cup final between Galatasaray and Arsenal decided?
Galatasaray won 4–1 on penalties following extra time
The match was attended by 38,919 spectators, as Galatasaray won 4–1 on penalties following extra time, making it the first time for a Turkish side to win a European honour. source
How did the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Alavés end?
Liverpool won on the golden goal rule after an own goal
With the match heading for a penalty shoot-out, Delfí Geli headed into his own net; as a result, Liverpool won on the golden goal rule. source
What was notable about the venue for the 2002 UEFA Cup final?
It was the first single-legged final at a finalist's home ground
It was the 31st UEFA Cup final and it was also the first time that the final had been played at a finalist's home ground since the introduction of single-legged finals in the UEFA Cup in 1998. source
What did the 2003 UEFA Cup final between Porto and Celtic guarantee?
A first UEFA Cup win for a club from Scotland or Portugal
Before this game, no club from Scotland or Portugal had won the UEFA Cup. source
What was the score in the 2004 UEFA Cup final between Valencia and Marseille?
2–0 to Valencia
Valencia won the match 2–0, with goals from Vicente and Mista. source
What was notable about the venue for the 2005 UEFA Cup final?
It was the home ground of one of the finalists, Sporting CP
The match was played at the Estádio José Alvalade – home ground of finalists Sporting CP – in Lisbon, Portugal. source
Who refereed the 2006 UEFA Cup final between Middlesbrough and Sevilla?
Herbert Fandel
Middlesbrough had two attacks in quick succession: Viduka missed the target in the 75th minute, and appealed for a penalty after a strong challenge from Navarro two minutes later; however, the referee, Herbert Fandel, was unmoved. source
How was the all-Spanish 2007 UEFA Cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol decided?
Sevilla won 3–1 on penalties after a 2–2 draw in extra time
In an all-Spanish final, holders Sevilla defeated Espanyol 3–1 on penalties after drawing 2–2 after extra-time, becoming the first club to win the competition two years in succession since the mid-1980s. source
What was the score in the 2008 UEFA Cup final between Zenit Saint Petersburg and Rangers?
2–0 to Zenit
The match, which was contested by Zenit Saint Petersburg of Russia and Rangers of Scotland, was won 2–0 by Zenit, with goals from Igor Denisov and Konstantin Zyryanov, to claim their first UEFA Cup title, making them only the second Russian side to win the competition, after CSKA Moscow in 2004–05. source
What was notable about the venue for the 2009 UEFA Cup final in Istanbul?
It was the first European final held outside geographical Europe
It was also the first European football final to be held outside the geographical Europe, as Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium lies across the Bosphorus from the city centre, and hence, in geographical Asia. source
Who refereed the 2010 UEFA Europa League final between Atlético Madrid and Fulham?
Nicola Rizzoli
The referee for the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final was Nicola Rizzoli, representing the Italian Football Federation source
What was notable about the 2011 UEFA Europa League final between Porto and Braga?
It was the first UEFA competition final between two Portuguese teams
The match was played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on 18 May 2011, between two Portuguese teams – Porto and Braga – for the first time in UEFA competition finals. source
What was notable about the host country of the 2012 UEFA Europa League final?
It was the first final of a European club competition hosted by Romania
This was the first final of a European football club competition hosted by Romania. source
Who refereed the 2013 UEFA Europa League final between Benfica and Chelsea?
Björn Kuipers
On 13 May 2013, Dutch referee Björn Kuipers was appointed to the final. source
How was the 2014 UEFA Europa League final between Sevilla and Benfica decided?
Sevilla won 4–2 on penalties after a goalless draw
Sevilla won the penalty shoot out 4–2, their goals coming from Carlos Bacca, Stéphane Mbia, Coke and Kevin Gameiro. source
Who refereed the 2015 UEFA Europa League final between Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Sevilla?
Martin Atkinson
English referee Martin Atkinson was chosen to oversee the final. source
What was the attendance for the 2016 UEFA Europa League final in Basel?
34,429
Watched by a crowd of 34,429, Liverpool took the lead in the 35th minute when striker Daniel Sturridge scored. source
Who refereed the 2017 UEFA Europa League final between Ajax and Manchester United?
Damir Skomina
In May 2017, Slovenian referee Damir Skomina was chosen to oversee the final. source
What sanction was Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone serving at the 2018 UEFA Europa League final?
A four-match touchline ban in UEFA competitions
Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone was given a four-match touchline ban in UEFA competitions following the semi-final first leg. source
At which stadium was the 2019 UEFA Europa League final between Chelsea and Arsenal played?
Olympic Stadium, Baku
It was played at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 29 May 2019. source
Where was the 2020 UEFA Europa League final originally scheduled to be played?
Stadion Energa Gdańsk, in Gdańsk, Poland
The final was originally scheduled to be played on 27 May 2020 at the Stadion Energa Gdańsk in Gdańsk, Poland. source
How was the 2021 UEFA Europa League final between Villarreal and Manchester United decided?
Villarreal won 11–10 on penalties after a 1–1 draw
Villarreal won the match 11–10 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time, thus winning its first trophy in the competition. source
Why was Seville chosen to host the 2022 UEFA Europa League final?
Because the 2020 final was postponed and relocated
On 17 June 2020, the UEFA Executive Committee announced that due to the postponement and relocation of the 2020 final, Seville would instead host the 2022 final. source
Why did Budapest host the 2023 UEFA Europa League final rather than an earlier one?
The 2020 final's relocation shifted the hosts back a year
Due to the postponement and relocation of the 2020 final, the final hosts were shifted back a year, with Budapest instead hosting the 2023 final. source
What run did Bayer Leverkusen's defeat in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final bring to an end?
An unbeaten run of 51 matches across all competitions
Leverkusen, who had been unbeaten in 51 matches across all competitions in the season, became the first German side to lose a UEFA Cup/Europa League final since Werder Bremen in 2009. source
Why was San Mamés in Bilbao given hosting rights for the 2025 UEFA Europa League final?
Because Bilbao lost its hosting rights for UEFA Euro 2020
On 16 July 2021, the UEFA Executive Committee announced that due to the loss of hosting rights for UEFA Euro 2020, San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao was given hosting rights for the 2025 final and the 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League final. source