UEFA has already provided its stance after calls for the Europa League final venue to be changed.
On Thursday, May 8, both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur secured their spots in the Europa League final, scheduled to be held at San Mames in Bilbao, Spain on May 21.
Given that both teams represent England, there have been suggestions to relocate the final to a neutral venue within the UK, which would provide financial and logistical advantages for attending supporters. San Mames, the home ground of United’s semi-final rivals, Athletic Club, has a seating capacity of 53,289.
UEFA has announced that each club will be allocated 15,000 tickets for their supporters, with an additional 11,000 tickets available for general sale, while the remaining tickets will be designated for hospitality and sponsors.
Will Europa League final be moved?
The probable response to this inquiry is negative, based on prior instances. In 2019, Chelsea and Arsenal faced each other in the Europa League final held in Baku, Azerbaijan, a journey that requires nearly six hours by air, not accounting for additional expenses and complications.
Naturally, the surge in transport demand led airlines to increase their fares, much to the frustration of numerous supporters who felt excluded from attending the match. Arsenal submitted a letter to UEFA expressing their profound disappointment regarding the transport constraints, which limited the availability of tickets to a mere 6,000 for a venue accommodating over 60,000 spectators.
They also highlighted the logistical challenges that fans would encounter due to the insufficient transport options. In response, UEFA issued a statement clarifying that they are committed to selecting hosts through a fair and transparent bidding process, typically conducted several years prior to the event.
The organization further noted that an all-English final was not anticipated at the time of the venue selection and acknowledged that this situation had undoubtedly complicated event logistics, before extending their apologies. It is important to recognize that this occurred six years ago, and the current situation differs, with Bilbao being considerably closer to England than Baku.
Has UEFA changed a final’s venue before?
Yes, but due to unforeseen circumstances. The 2022 Champions League final, which ended Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool, was originally scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia.
However, the event was relocated and took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
What has UEFA said about the Europa League final venue being changed?
The governing body of European football has not officially commented on the all-English final between United and Spurs; however, its website states that ‘If the UEFA administration receives any such notification, or has any reason to believe that a match may not be able to be played as scheduled, it will determine whether any changes will be made to the stadium, venue, date, and/or kick-off time.
Such a decision by the UEFA administration is final.’ Nevertheless, the concerns surrounding the all-Premier League final are unlikely to meet the necessary criteria, as the venue is adequately equipped to host the match, with the issues primarily concerning ticket demand and transportation.
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