UEFA has officially selected Bucharest’s National Arena and the National Stadium Serbia in Belgrade to host the next two Europa League finals.
The UEFA Executive Committee has confirmed the venues for the 2028 and 2029 UEFA Europa League finals, with Romania and Serbia set to stage the competition’s showpiece matches.
The 2028 Europa League final will be played at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania, while the 2029 final will take place at the National Stadium Serbia in Belgrade. UEFA announced the decisions on Tuesday, September 15, following its Executive Committee meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The appointments form part of UEFA’s wider confirmation of venues for its major European club competition finals through 2029.
Bucharest to host 2028 Europa League final
Romania’s capital, Bucharest, will host the Europa League final in 2028 at the National Arena.
The stadium is the largest football venue in Romania and has previously staged major European football events. It hosted the 2012 Europa League final, meaning the 2028 edition will mark the competition’s return to Bucharest 16 years later.
The National Arena has also been used for major international matches involving the Romanian national team and European club fixtures.
Its selection gives Romanian football another opportunity to welcome supporters from across Europe for one of UEFA’s biggest annual club finals.
The 2028 final will also provide a significant international showcase for Bucharest, with the city expected to attract thousands of travelling supporters, club officials and football media.
Belgrade awarded the 2029 final
One year later, the Europa League final will move to Serbia.
The National Stadium Serbia in Belgrade has been selected to host the 2029 final. UEFA confirmed the decision alongside its announcement concerning Bucharest.
The stadium is being constructed in Surčin, near Belgrade, and is intended to become Serbia’s new national football stadium.
According to Serbian news agency Tanjug, UEFA has scheduled the 2029 Europa League final for May 23, 2029, at the new National Stadium.
The selection represents an important milestone for Serbia as the country prepares to welcome one of UEFA’s major club finals.
Unlike Bucharest’s National Arena, the Belgrade venue will be hosting the Europa League final at a newly developed national stadium.
Two different venues, two major football occasions
The decisions mean the Europa League final will move between two important football capitals over consecutive years.
2028: National Arena, Bucharest, Romania 🇷🇴
2029: National Stadium Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia 🇷🇸
Both cities have strong football traditions and have previously hosted major European competitions.
Bucharest already has experience of hosting a Europa League final, while Belgrade is preparing a new stadium capable of staging major international football events.
The two appointments also underline UEFA’s strategy of taking its major finals to different football markets across Europe.
UEFA confirms several final venues
The Europa League announcements were part of a much larger UEFA venue allocation.
For the Champions League, UEFA confirmed the Munich Football Arena as the host for the 2028 final and Camp Nou in Barcelona for the 2029 final.
The UEFA Conference League finals will be staged at Juventus Stadium in Turin in 2028 and the Puskás Aréna in Budapest in 2029.
UEFA also selected venues for the Women's Champions League finals, with Lyon hosting in 2028 and Cardiff hosting in 2029.
The decisions provide a clear roadmap for some of the biggest European club football finals over the next three seasons.
A return to Bucharest
For Romania, the 2028 Europa League final represents a return to a competition final that has already produced memorable moments at the National Arena.
The stadium hosted the 2012 final between Atlético Madrid and Athletic Club.
Atlético won that match 3-0, with Radamel Falcao scoring twice and Diego Costa adding another goal.
More than a decade later, Bucharest will once again welcome Europe's second-tier club competition for its decisive match.
The return will give the Romanian capital another chance to demonstrate its ability to stage a major UEFA event.
Belgrade prepares for a new era
The 2029 final will have a different significance for Serbia.
Rather than returning to an established venue, UEFA's decision will place the Europa League final at Serbia's new national stadium.
The project is intended to provide the country with a modern venue for international football and major sporting events.
Hosting a UEFA final will give the stadium an immediate opportunity to establish itself on the European football calendar.
For Belgrade, the final is also expected to generate significant tourism and commercial activity as supporters travel to Serbia for the event.
What it means for the Europa League
The venue decisions do not affect which clubs will qualify for the finals.
Teams from across Europe will continue to compete through the Europa League's league phase and knockout rounds before the finalists are determined.
The identity of the teams that will play in Bucharest in 2028 and Belgrade in 2029 therefore remains unknown.
However, UEFA's announcement means supporters can already identify the destinations where the next two Europa League champions will be crowned.
The 2028 final will take place in one of Romania's most prominent sporting venues, while the 2029 showpiece will introduce UEFA's competition to Serbia's new national stadium.
A major opportunity for Romania and Serbia
The hosting decisions are significant beyond football.
Major European finals bring international attention to their host cities and can provide economic benefits through tourism, hospitality, transportation and event-related spending.
For Bucharest, the 2028 final will reinforce the city's position as a destination capable of staging major European football events.
For Belgrade, the 2029 final will offer an opportunity to present Serbia's new national stadium to an international audience.
The two countries will therefore have prominent roles in UEFA's club competition calendar during the latter part of the decade.
Europa League final venues confirmed
UEFA's latest announcement gives fans a straightforward picture of where the Europa League trophy will be contested in the next two editions:
| Year | Europa League Final Venue | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028 | National Arena | Bucharest | Romania 🇷🇴 |
| 2029 | National Stadium Serbia | Belgrade | Serbia 🇷🇸 |
The decisions complete another part of UEFA's long-term planning for its European club competitions.
With Bucharest and Belgrade now confirmed, attention will eventually turn to the clubs that will compete for the trophies at both venues.
For now, the message from UEFA is clear: Bucharest will host the 2028 Europa League final, followed by Belgrade in 2029.
