In less than two weeks, Premier League teams Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will square off for the Europa League gold. UEFA, the organization that organizes the competition, has addressed requests that the main event be held somewhere other than the San Mames Stadium.
On Thursday night, both teams secured their seats in Bilbao. Ruben Amorim’s team managed to prevent an early score, and they should be proud of their 7-1 victory over Athletic Club. Over two legs, Ange Postecoglou’s team defeated Bodo/Glimt 5-1.
Given the inescapable demand for tickets from both sets of supporters, there have been requests for the all-England event to be moved to a far larger venue. The San Mames in Bilbao can hold 53,289 spectators.
UEFA Selects the Final Location for Europa
Each of the two fan groups received 15,000 tickets.
The Daily Mail reports that 15,000 tickets will be distributed to both groups of followers. As hundreds of thousands of supporters from each fan base vie for a chance to watch their side play in the Europa League final, an additional 11,000 tickets will be put up for open sale.
Due to UEFA’s “fans first” policy, tickets for Manchester United and Spurs supporters are starting at £34, which is affordable given that the north Londoners have won both of their meetings in the English Premier League.
However, the remaining 12,000 tickets are still available and will be made available to hospitality guests and sponsorship partners. There have been requests to modify the site at the last minute due to the allocation for non-Manchester United and Spurs supporters.
Overall, it has been stated that even if a venue change has received a lot of praise, it was practically impossible because the match rights were granted to Athletic Club’s San Mames stadium in the Basque Country back in 2021.
Every time an all-English final has taken place in European football history, such as Manchester City vs. Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League, the game has never been able to relocate its host location to accommodate more spectators.
As mentioned, Spurs presently have the right to brag about this matchup because they have defeated the Red Devils both at home and away this season in the Premier League. Additionally, in December 2024, Postecoglou’s team won their League Cup final 4-3.
Bringing home European triumph would provide both managers, Amorim and Postecoglou, a ray of hope before the 2025–26 season begins, even though neither team has given anything to boast about at home.
Postecoglou Responds to Criticism of the Europa League
“Isn’t it going to upset a lot of people?”
One of the Premier League’s most seasoned managers, the Spurs tactician, recently stated that the final will “upset a lot of people,” but in typical Postecoglou manner, he later stated that he doesn’t care. “Isn’t it going to aggravate a lot of people? The argument is now heated.
The most recent is that if we win, neither of us will receive a prize; instead, they will only take a team photo because we are unworthy. Who cares if we’re having trouble in the league, really?
“Why don’t all of the top three finishers make it to the final if it’s so simple to do so? It’s something else entirely. According to football.london, the underdog Greek-Australian stated, “I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there,” before adding, “It has nothing to do with league form.”
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