Every year, as the Champions League swells with global attention and billion-dollar hype, the Europa League quietly prepares its own stage. Fewer fireworks, yes. But fewer stakes? Not quite.
The Europa League final is not some secondhand spectacle. It is, for many clubs, the defining night of their season, and for others, a rare brush with continental glory. What it lacks in sheer prestige, it makes up for in opportunity. A trophy. A Champions League berth. And for teams on the cusp of relevance, the validation that they belong in Europe’s deeper waters.
Unai Emery, who has lifted the Europa League four times, once said after guiding Villarreal to the title, “We have been able to give joy to many people.” That joy was not just symbolic. Villarreal’s win earned them a Champions League spot and a payday that reached well over $20 million in UEFA bonuses alone. And if you count the estimated $100 million in broadcast, gate, and sponsor income a club can pull from the Champions League? The stakes get a lot clearer.
A trophy, a ticket, and a turning point
Still, this tournament has never been just about money. The atmosphere at recent finals tells you everything. Eintracht Frankfurt’s win in 2022 came in front of a roaring crowd in Seville, where over 100,000 fans from Germany and Scotland descended in pilgrimage. The players bled for it—literally, in captain Sebastian Rode’s case—and celebrated like it was a title that mattered. Because it did.
The trophy may not be gold, but it is heavy. It carries the weight of redemption arcs, career milestones, and club legacies. For Sevilla, the Europa League is basically part of the brand—seven wins and counting. For Manchester United in 2017, it was the season-saving moment. “It is a trophy, it is prestige,” said José Mourinho that year. “It means playing a European Super Cup.”
Even this year’s final between Manchester United and Tottenham underscores the competition’s relevance. Both clubs endured uneven league campaigns, and for them, the Europa League has become a shot at redemption. The winner not only lifts silverware but returns to the Champions League, reaffirming how high the stakes remain.
Critics still point to the Thursday night matches, the bloated group stage, the strange kickoff times. But the narrative is shifting. The final is no longer a punchline—it is a platform. A night when clubs outside the usual elite can crash the party and lift something that means everything to their fans.
In a Champions League world, the Europa League is still Europe. Still meaningful. Still magic.
