Europa League Phase Begins as UEFA Confirms Allianz Arena and Camp Nou for Future Finals

UEFA's club competitions enter a new phase this week, with the 2026-27 Europa League league stage kicking off today, headlined by AC Milan hosting Benfica at the San Siro, while European football's governing body has also confirmed venues for the next round of major finals.

Benfica arrive unbeaten in their last five matches, including two Europa League qualifying wins over AGF, while Milan head into the tie on the back of a 1-1 draw at Juventus, looking to build on a run that has yielded ten goals in their last five outings. The Europa League field this season includes heavyweights such as Milan, Juventus, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad, competing across an expanded league-phase format.

Separately, UEFA confirmed at an Executive Committee meeting in Thessaloniki that Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena will host the 2028 Champions League final, returning to the venue for the first time since 2012, while Barcelona's rebuilt Camp Nou will stage the 2029 final, its first showpiece since the famous 1999 final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich. The Europa League finals for those years were also awarded to Bucharest and Belgrade respectively, with the Women's Champions League finals heading to Lyon in 2028 and Cardiff in 2029.