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UEFA rejects Paris bid, awards 2028 and 2029 Europa League finals to Bucharest and Belgrade

The French Football Federation's bid to host a Europa League final at Parc des Princes has been rejected by UEFA. Bucharest and Belgrade will host the 2028 and 2029 editions respectively.

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UEFA rejects Paris bid, awards 2028 and 2029 Europa League finals to Bucharest and Belgrade
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UEFA has rejected the French candidacy and awarded the 2028 and 2029 Europa League finals to Bucharest and Belgrade, depriving Paris of a major continental event at Parc des Princes.

The French Football Federation had submitted its candidacy for one of these two finals, with the support of the Île-de-France region and its president Valérie Pécresse. According to L’Équipe, she had even contacted UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin directly “to assure him that she would facilitate the necessary steps”. These lobbying efforts were not enough to convince the European body.

It is the Arena Nationala in Bucharest that will host the 2028 final, while the National Stadium in Belgrade will host the 2029 edition. The two cities were therefore preferred to the French capital, despite the prestige and capacity of Parc des Princes.

The last time Paris hosted the equivalent of this competition dates back to 1998, when Parc des Princes hosted the UEFA Cup final — the predecessor of the Europa League. Inter Milan with Ronaldo “Fenomeno” crushed AS Roma 3-0 there, marking one of the most memorable fixtures in European football history.

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