The UEFA Europa League is Europe's second club competition, just below the Champions League. Under the Thursday-night lights it has a reputation of its own: often more open and more dramatic than its bigger sister. The next final takes place on 26 May 2027 in Frankfurt, back on German soil for the first time since 2020. Here is how it works, who dominates it and what Europe's heaviest trophy looks like.
How does the Europa League work?
Since 2024/25 a 36-team league phase has been in place: each club meets eight different opponents, then the knockout rounds follow, up to a one-off final at a neutral venue. The biggest incentive comes at the end: the Europa League winner qualifies directly for the Champions League. That is exactly what makes the competition so valuable to so many clubs.
How long has the Europa League existed?
The competition is older than its name suggests. Founded in 1971 as the UEFA Cup, it has carried the name Europa League since 2009. The record winners are Sevilla, who have lifted the trophy seven times, more than any other club. That run earned Sevilla a reputation as the Europa League specialists.
Why the title is so coveted
For many clubs the Europa League is not a consolation prize but a shortcut. Win it, and you are in the Champions League the following season, whatever your league finish. That reshapes whole seasons and makes the knockout nights fiercely contested.
When is the Europa League final 2027?
The 2026/27 final takes place on 26 May 2027 at Frankfurt's Waldstadion, the home of Eintracht Frankfurt, themselves two-time winners of the competition. For German fans it is a home game in the best sense: the first Europa League final in Germany since Cologne in 2020.
The trophy: the heaviest in Europe
The Europa League trophy is a serious lump of metal. At 15 kilograms it is the heaviest of all UEFA trophies, heavier even than the Champions League cup, and it has no handles at all. It stands 65 centimetres tall, is made of silver, was designed by Silvio Gazzaniga and has been crafted since 1972 at the Bertoni workshop in Milan. If you want it at home as an officially licensed Europa League replica, you will find the range at Am Ball.
