2026 UEFA Conference League final
Match programme cover
Event 2025–26 UEFA Conference League
Crystal Palace Rayo Vallecano
The Football Association Royal Spanish Football Federation
1 0
Date 27 May 2026 (2026-05-27)
Venue Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
Man of the Match Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)[1]
Referee Maurizio Mariani (Italy)[2]
Attendance 39,176[3]
Weather Clear night
19 °C (66 °F)
35% humidity[4]
← 2025
2027 →

The 2026 UEFA Conference League final was the final match of the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League, the fifth season of Europe's tertiary club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the second season since it was renamed from the UEFA Europa Conference League to the UEFA Conference League. It was played at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany,[5] on 27 May 2026 between English club Crystal Palace and Spanish club Rayo Vallecano.

Crystal Palace won the match 1–0 for their first UEFA Conference League title.[6] As winners, they qualified for the league phase of the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League.[7]

Background

Crystal Palace, having played in Europe for the first time, reached their first ever European final. They won their second major trophy, having won the FA Cup in 2025, beating Manchester City in the final.[8]

Rayo Vallecano also reached their first ever European final, and were aiming for a first major title. Rayo Vallecano had previously qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2000–01 UEFA Cup, losing 4–2 on aggregate to fellow Spanish side Alavés.[9]

Venue

Red Bull Arena in Leipzig hosted the final.

Host selection

On 17 May 2023, UEFA opened the bidding process for the final, which was held in parallel with that of the 2027 final. Interested bidders could bid for either one or both of the finals. Additionally, bidding associations could only be appointed one UEFA final in a given year. The proposed venues had to include natural grass and be ranked as a UEFA category four stadium, with a gross capacity of 30,000 to 60,000 preferred. The bidding timeline was as follows:[10]

  • 17 May 2023: Applications formally invited
  • 17 July 2023: Closing date for registering intention to bid
  • 26 July 2023: Bid requirements made available to bidders
  • 15 November 2023: Submission of preliminary bid dossier
  • 21 February 2024: Submission of final bid dossier
  • 22 May 2024: Appointment of host

UEFA announced on 18 July 2023 that six associations had expressed interest in hosting the 2026 and 2027 finals during the first bidding process.[11]

Bidding associations for 2026 and 2027 UEFA Conference League finals
Association Stadium City Capacity Notes
 Germany Red Bull Arena Leipzig 45,228 Association also bid for 2026 or 2027 Europa League and 2026 or 2027 Women's Champions League finals (with different venues)
 Israel Teddy Stadium Jerusalem 31,733
 Norway Ullevaal Stadion Oslo 27,182 Stadium also bid for 2026 or 2027 Women's Champions League finals
Stadium appointed as host of 2026 Women's Champions League final
 Scotland Hampden Park Glasgow 51,866 Stadium also bid for 2026 or 2027 Europa League and 2026 or 2027 Women's Champions League finals
 Switzerland Stade de Genève Geneva 30,084
 Turkey Beşiktaş Stadium Istanbul 42,684 Stadium also bid for 2026 or 2027 Europa League finals
Rams Park or Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium (both also in Istanbul) were also included as possible venues prior to official bid submission
Stadium appointed as host of 2026 Europa League final and 2027 Conference League final

The Red Bull Arena was selected as the venue by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, on 22 May 2024.[12][5]

Route to the final

Further information: 2025–26 UEFA Conference League

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

The Football Association Crystal Palace Round Royal Spanish Football Federation Rayo Vallecano
Opponent Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score 1st leg 2nd leg Qualifying phase Opponent Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score 1st leg 2nd leg
Norwegian Football Federation Fredrikstad 1–0 1–0 (H) 0–0 (A) Play-off round Football Federation of Belarus Neman Grodno 5–0 1–0 (A) 4–0 (H)
Opponent Result League phase Opponent Result
Ukrainian Association of Football Dynamo Kyiv 2–0 (A) Matchday 1 Football Federation of Macedonia Shkëndija 2–0 (H)
Cyprus Football Association AEK Larnaca 0–1 (H) Matchday 2 Swedish Football Association BK Häcken 2–2 (A)
Royal Dutch Football Association AZ 3–1 (H) Matchday 3 Polish Football Association Lech Poznań 3–2 (H)
French Football Federation Strasbourg 1–2 (A) Matchday 4 Slovak Football Association Slovan Bratislava 1–2 (A)
Football Association of Ireland Shelbourne 3–0 (A) Matchday 5 Polish Football Association Jagiellonia Białystok 2–1 (A)
Football Association of Finland KuPS 2–2 (H) Matchday 6 Football Federation of Kosovo Drita 3–0 (H)
10th place
Advanced to knockout phase play-offs		 Final position 5th place
Advanced to round of 16
Opponent Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score 1st leg 2nd leg Knockout phase Opponent Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score 1st leg 2nd leg
Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zrinjski Mostar 3–1 1–1 (A) 2–0 (H) Play-offs Bye
Cyprus Football Association AEK Larnaca 2–1 0–0 (H) 2–1 (a.e.t.) (A) Round of 16 Turkish Football Federation Samsunspor 3–2 3–1 (A) 0–1 (H)
Italian Football Federation Fiorentina 4–2 3–0 (H) 1–2 (A) Quarter-finals Hellenic Football Federation AEK Athens 4–3 3–0 (H) 1–3 (A)
Ukrainian Association of Football Shakhtar Donetsk 5–2 3–1 (A) 2–1 (H) Semi-finals French Football Federation Strasbourg 2–0 1–0 (H) 1–0 (A)

Match

Summary

Just before half-time, Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell missed the target with a diving header from close range after a pass from Adam Wharton. Crystal Palace went in front in the 51st minute, an Adam Wharton shot from outside the penalty area on the left was saved by Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Augusto Batalla but the rebound went straight to Jean-Philippe Mateta who diverted the ball with his left leg to the net from six yards out. Yeremy Pino almost made it 2–0 when his free-kick hit both posts and stayed out.[13] Jean-Philippe Mateta also had a low shot saved by Augusto Batalla soon after. Crystal Palace held on to win the game 1–0 and claim a first European trophy.[14]

Details

The "home" team (for administrative purposes) was predetermined as the winners of semi-final 1 (Crystal Palace).

Crystal Palace The Football Association 1–0 Royal Spanish Football Federation Rayo Vallecano
  • Mateta 51'
 Report[15]
Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
Attendance: 39,176[3]
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Crystal Palace[4]
Rayo Vallecano[4]
GK 1 England Dean Henderson (c)
CB 34 Morocco Chadi Riad Yellow card 82'
CB 5 France Maxence Lacroix
CB 23 France Jaydee Canvot
RM 2 Colombia Daniel Muñoz
CM 20 England Adam Wharton Yellow card 42'
CM 18 Japan Daichi Kamada
LM 3 England Tyrick Mitchell
RF 7 Senegal Ismaïla Sarr
CF 14 France Jean-Philippe Mateta downward-facing red arrow 76'
LF 10 Spain Yéremy Pino Yellow card 74' downward-facing red arrow 80'
Substitutes:
GK 31 England Remi Matthews
GK 44 Argentina Walter Benítez
DF 17 England Nathaniel Clyne
DF 24 Croatia Borna Sosa
DF 26 United States Chris Richards
DF 59 Trinidad and Tobago Rio Cardines
MF 8 Colombia Jefferson Lerma
MF 19 England Will Hughes
MF 55 Northern Ireland Justin Devenny
FW 11 Wales Brennan Johnson
FW 22 Norway Jørgen Strand Larsen upward-facing green arrow 76'
FW 29 Ivory Coast Evann Guessand upward-facing green arrow 80'
Manager:
Austria Oliver Glasner
GK 13 Argentina Augusto Batalla
RB 2 Romania Andrei Rațiu
CB 24 France Florian Lejeune
CB 6 Senegal Pathé Ciss Yellow card 20'
LB 3 Spain Pep Chavarría
CM 23 Spain Óscar Valentín (c) downward-facing red arrow 62'
CM 17 Spain Unai López Yellow card 48' downward-facing red arrow 62'
RW 19 Spain Jorge de Frutos downward-facing red arrow 70'
AM 7 Spain Isi Palazón Yellow card 23' downward-facing red arrow 77'
LW 18 Spain Álvaro García Yellow card 62' downward-facing red arrow 70'
CF 9 Brazil Alemão
Substitutes:
GK 1 Spain Daniel Cárdenas
GK 30 Spain Adrián Molina
DF 20 Albania Iván Balliu
DF 22 Uruguay Alfonso Espino Yellow card 90+2' upward-facing green arrow 70'
DF 32 Senegal Nobel Mendy Yellow card 85' upward-facing green arrow 62'
MF 4 Spain Pedro Díaz upward-facing green arrow 62'
MF 8 Argentina Óscar Trejo
MF 15 Spain Gerard Gumbau
FW 10 Spain Sergio Camello upward-facing green arrow 70'
FW 12 Morocco Ilias Akhomach upward-facing green arrow 77'
Manager:
Spain Iñigo Pérez

Man of the Match:
Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)[1]

Assistant referees:[2]
Daniele Bindoni (Italy)
Alberto Tegoni (Italy)
Fourth official:[2]
Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Reserve assistant referee:[2]
Mahbod Beigi (Sweden)
Video assistant referee:[2]
Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referee:[2]
Daniele Chiffi (Italy)
Support video assistant referee:[2]
Ivan Bebek (Croatia)

Match rules[16]

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Maximum of twelve named substitutes
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time
  • Maximum of three substitution opportunities, with a fourth allowed in extra time

Statistics

See also

  • 2026 UEFA Champions League final
  • 2026 UEFA Europa League final
  • 2026 UEFA Women's Champions League final
  • 2026 UEFA Women's Europa Cup final
  • 2026 UEFA Super Cup

References

  1. ^ a b "Adam Wharton named official 2026 UEFA Conference League final Player of the Match". UEFA. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Referee teams for 2026 UEFA club competition finals announced". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 May 2026. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Full Time Report Final – Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano" (PDF). UEFA. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  4. ^ a b c "Tactical Lineups – Final – Wednesday 27 May 2026" (PDF). UEFA. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Budapest to host UEFA Champions League Final 2026". Union of European Football Associations. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Crystal Palace 1–0 Rayo Vallecano: Jean-Philippe Mateta wins Conference League for the Eagles". UEFA. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  7. ^ "Crystal Palace 1 Rayo Vallecano 0". BBC Sport. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  8. ^ "Crystal Palace – 2024/25 FA Cup winners!". Crystal Palace F.C. 17 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  9. ^ "Alavés vs. Rayo Vallecano Match Report – Thursday March 8, 2001 (Leg 1)". FBref. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  10. ^ "Invitation to bid to host the UEFA Champions League Finals 2026 & 2027, UEFA Europa League Finals 2026 & 2027, UEFA Europa Conference League Finals 2026 & 2027 and UEFA Women's Champions League Finals 2026 & 2027". UEFA Circular Letter. No. 24/2023. Union of European Football Associations. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Nine national associations interested in hosting UEFA club competition finals in 2026 and 2027". UEFA. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  12. ^ "UEFA Executive Committee to meet in Dublin". Union of European Football Associations. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Crystal Palace win Conference League after Mateta strike sinks Rayo Vallecano". Guardian. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  14. ^ "Crystal Palace 1-0 Rayo Vallecano: UEFA Conference League final win gives Oliver Glasner perfect farewell as Jean-Philippe Mateta scores winner". Sky Sports. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  15. ^ "Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano". UEFA. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  16. ^ "Regulations of the UEFA Conference League – 2025/26 Season". UEFA. 27 June 2025. Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  17. ^ a b c "Team statistics" (PDF). UEFA. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.