UEFA Europa League

The basics

Freiburg vs Aston Villa. Wednesday 20 May 2026. Kick-off 20:00 UTC (23:00 local, 21:00 BST). Tüpraş Stadium, İstanbul. UEFA Europa League Final.

The stadium holds around 42,000, and Aston Villa's general allocation is 10,758 seats, including disabled and easy-access areas and some restricted-view positions.

How ticket sales work

Both clubs handle their own allocations through their official ticket portals, and UEFA runs a separate public ballot. For Villa fans, UEFA required supporters to register their interest by Sunday 10 May, with all sales processed through UEFA's official ticket portal.

Priority for Villa's allocation goes to season ticket holders who attended 12 or more Europa League matches this season, then those on eight or more, then seven or more. If you haven't already registered, the official registration window has closed.

Official face-value prices for Villa's allocation are split across four bands:

• Fans First: €40 (around £35) — nearly 2,000 available
• Category 3: €65 (around £56) — more than half the allocation sits here
• Category 2: €160 (around £140) — around 2,000 tickets
• Category 1: €240 (around £205) — over 1,000 in the top tier

If you missed the official window, verified resale marketplaces with buyer protection are your main option. Prices on the secondary market typically run above face value for a final and they tend to rise closer to kick-off, so buying early is usually cheaper than waiting.

Getting to İstanbul

İstanbul has two airports: İstanbul (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW). UEFA has confirmed free shuttle services to the city centre from both airports on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May. Public transport in the city will be free for ticket holders from the start of matchday until 06:00 local time on Thursday 21 May.

Aston Villa are operating a charter flight from Birmingham on the day of the final. The price is £1,095, which covers transfers to and from the stadium and an immediate post-match return flight. It does not include a match ticket, so factor that in if you're considering it.

If you're travelling without a ticket, UEFA and the city are hosting a Fan Festival in Beşiktaş Square.

Freiburg's route to the final

Freiburg finished seventh in the Europa League league phase. They beat Genk 5-2 on aggregate in the round of 16, then Celta 6-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. The semi-final against Braga was tighter — 4-3 on aggregate — and they conceded twice in the first leg in Braga, the first time they had let in two goals in a single match all competition. They won all seven of their home games in the competition and conceded just ten goals across 14 matches on the way to the final. This is the club's first European final and their best-ever performance in UEFA competition.

Coach Julian Schuster took charge in 2024 after serving as assistant to long-serving predecessor Christian Streich. Schuster himself spent ten years at the club as a midfielder. Defensive midfielder Maximilian Eggestein, Johan Manzambi, and centre-back Matthias Ginter have been central to Freiburg's defensive record this season.

Aston Villa's route to the final

Villa finished second in the league phase, winning seven of their eight matches. They beat Lille 3-0 on aggregate in the round of 16 and Bologna 7-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. The semi-final against Nottingham Forest was the one difficult moment — Villa lost the first leg 1-0 at the City Ground — but the second leg at Villa Park ended 4-0. Ollie Watkins scored the opener, Emiliano Buendía added a penalty, and John McGinn scored twice. It was Villa's tenth successive home win in European competition.

Manager Unai Emery has won the Europa League four times — with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and with Villarreal in 2021. This is his sixth Europa League final. Villa last won a major trophy in 1996 (the League Cup) and last reached a continental final in 1982, when they won the European Cup.

What to expect on the night

Freiburg are the underdogs by UEFA coefficient — ranked 48th against Villa's 20th — but they have been the tighter defensive side throughout the competition. Villa have the more experienced manager in this specific competition, and their squad depth has shown in the margins across each knockout round.

If you're going without a ticket, the Fan Festival in Beşiktaş Square is the practical option. Check UEFA's official site for confirmed timings and location details closer to the date.