UEFA Europa League 2026 Finals - Football Betting Predictions
UEFA Europa League 2026 finals winner predictions - bet on football with the best picks
The final of the 2025/26 Europa League is fast approaching. You can bet on the match at Stake, with a variety of soccer betting odds available. Join Stake Sportsbook to get the latest odds and discover our Europa League final picks and predictions below.
What is the Europa League?
The UEFA Europa League is the 2nd tier of European club football. It’s an annual tournament organized by UEFA and features top soccer clubs from across Europe. The competition is ahead of the UEFA Conference League, but one level below the UEFA Champions League.
Winners of the Europa League will play in the UEFA Super Cup against the Champions League winners and automatically qualify for the Champions League in the following season.
History and past winners of the Europa League
Between 1955 and 1971, the 2nd tier European soccer tournament was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. However, this was replaced by the UEFA Cup from the 1971/72 season, which used different regulations and a different format.
For the 2009/10 season, the UEFA Cup was merged with the 3rd-tier competition, the Intertoto Cup, and rebranded as the Europa League.
Originally, the Europa League featured a group stage before the knockout rounds, but the format was changed for the 2024/25 season. Now, the Europa League uses a league format, with each team playing 4 home games and 4 away games.
Since the competition began, 30 teams have lifted the Europa League trophy, including:
Sevilla - 7 titles
Inter Milan - 3 titles
Tottenham Hotspur - 3 titles
Liverpool - 3 titles
Juventus - 3 titles
Atlético Madrid - 3 titles
When and where is the Europa League final held?
The 2026 Europa League final will be held at Besiktas Park in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s scheduled for May 20.
Which 2 teams are playing in the Europa League finals?
Freiburg will play Aston Villa in the Europa League final.
Our winner predictions for the 2026 Europa League finals
Aston Villa are our pick to win the 2026 Europa League final. The Premier League side has a rich history in European soccer, having previously won the European Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 1982. More recently, they reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League in the 2024-25 season.
In this season of the Europa League, Aston Villa has won all but 2 games, scoring an impressive 28 goals while conceding just 8. Their top players, like John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, and Ollie Watkins, have all been integral to their success and could play major roles in the final. Another key factor for Aston Villa is their manager, Unai Emery, who has won the Europa League a record 4 times, reaching the final on 6 separate occasions. His experience in the competition will be invaluable for the players.
This will be Freiburg’s first-ever European final, and previously, the club has only been as far as the round of 16. They’ve had some good performances in the Europa League this season, with players such as Jan-Niklas Beste, Maximilian Eggestein, and Igor Matanovic all standing out over the campaign. However, it will be a tough match against Aston Villa.
Final score prediction: 3-1 to Aston Villa in regular time.
Freiburg season performance recap
Freiburg finished 7th in the league phase of the Europa League, with 5 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. They scored 10 goals while conceding 4, and progressed to the round of 16 of the knockout phase. After losing the first leg of the match against Genk, they came back to win 5-2 on aggregate.
In the quarterfinals, Freiburg comfortably beat Celta Vigo, winning both legs on an aggregate score of 6-1. In the first leg of the semifinal, Freiburg lost 2-1 to Braga, but came back in the second leg to win 4-3 on aggregate and reach the final.
Aston Villa season performance recap
Aston Villa finished 2nd in the league stage, only behind Lyon on goal difference. They won 7 matches while losing just once, and scoring 14 goals while conceding 6. In the round of 16, Aston Villa faced Lille, comfortably winning both legs to go through on a 3-0 aggregate score.
In the quarterfinals of the Europa League, Aston Villa faced Bologna and once more, went through without any issues. They won the first leg 3-1 before thrashing the Serie A side 4-0 in the second. In the semifinals against Nottingham Forest, Villa had a tougher test. They lost the first leg 1-0, but once more scored 4 goals in the second leg to get to the final.
How to place your bets on the Europa League
If you’re new to soccer betting, our guide has lots of information and useful tips. Use it to help you choose the right bets for the Europa League final. Stay within your budget, bet responsibly by not wagering more than you can afford to lose.
Before you start, you should understand the main betting markets, such as:
1x2 - This market lets you predict the final outcome of the match. You can bet on either team or for the math to end in a draw after 90 minutes.
1x2 (1UP and 2UP) - This market is a match winner bet, but you’ll get your payout early if the team you bet on goes up by 1 goal or 2 goals.
Draw no bet - Like a moneyline bet, this simplifies the match winner market, letting you pick either team to win. If the match ends in a draw after regulation time, you’ll get your stake refunded.
Double chance - This lets you predict two different results. For example, Aston Villa or a draw. If either outcome occurs, your bet will win.
Asian total - The total market involves betting on the over/under line for the total number of goals scored in the match. Quarter lines are also available. For example, you can bet on over 1.25.
Asian handicap - Handicap betting lets you pick a team to win with a specific goal handicap or advantage in place. For example, Nottingham Forest -1.5 means you’d expect Forest to win by at least 2 goals.
Winning method - If the final isn’t decided in regular time, it will go to extra time and then penalties. You can bet on the winning method. For example, betting that Freiburg will win in overtime.
Correct score - Bet on the final score of the match, setting the sliders to select the number of goals for each team.
While betting at Stake, you can select from any of the available payment methods. A wide range of cryptocurrencies is accepted at Stake, allowing you to bet with crypto such as BTC and ETH.
What’s more, we also support local currency payments such as CAD, INR and BRL, among others. Regardless of the currency you choose, your payments are handled quickly, with most deposits processed instantly.
How to keep up with the match and bet live on the Europa League at Stake
Stake provides live stats and odds on all Europa League matches, including the upcoming final. Log in and select the match while it’s in-play to see the live football odds and stats as they’re updated in real-time. Use these stats to gain greater insights into the action and take advantage of the odds movement to place successful bets.
Early payout and soccer promotions when you bet at Stake
Stake.com is the best place for soccer betting thanks to our wide coverage of major tournaments. This includes the Europa League and other major international football competitions. Additionally, we offer a variety of sports betting promotions and early payout offers for you to use while betting on the Europa League.
When you bet at Stake, you’ll also be able to level up your account to earn exclusive rewards from our VIP Club. As you progress through the ranks, you can benefit from rakeback, reload bonuses, and your own VIP host. Find out more about how it all works on our VIP FAQ page.
