UEFA has confirmed that this season’s Europa League final will go ahead as planned in Bilbao, with Manchester United set to face Tottenham Hotspur in an all-English showdown.

Despite the underwhelming domestic form of both Premier League sides—United currently languishing in 15th place and Spurs in 16th—the match offers a vital opportunity for redemption, with Champions League qualification and European silverware on the line.

There had been speculative calls for a venue change, particularly due to the English involvement and overwhelming fan interest. However, San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, awarded hosting rights in 2021, will remain the final's venue. The Basque city is also set to host the Women’s Champions League final later this year.

With an official capacity of 53,289, the stadium will struggle to meet demand from the travelling English fanbases. UEFA has announced that each finalist will be allocated up to 15,000 tickets, with 11,000 available to the general public. The remaining seats will be reserved for hospitality, sponsors, and stakeholders.

This follows UEFA’s precedent in recent all-English finals: Manchester City vs Chelsea in Porto (2021), Liverpool vs Tottenham in Madrid (2019), and Arsenal vs Chelsea in Baku (2019), all of which went ahead at neutral venues regardless of the finalists' nationalities.

Athletic Bilbao had hoped to make a dream appearance on home soil, but Manchester United produced their best display under new boss Rúben Amorim to dismantle the Spanish side 3–0 in the first leg and 4–1 on aggregate.

Tottenham, meanwhile, secured a solid 2–0 away victory over Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt to book their place in the final.

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, speaking after the semi-final, said a final between his side and United would “upset a lot of people”, but added defiantly: “I don’t care.”