Salzburg breaks a long-standing tradition of Austrian football finals
In short: For decades, major European football finals in Austria were tethered to Vienna. However, the 2026 UEFA Super Cup changed the script, bringing the spotlight to Salzburg for a historic encounter between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. This match marked the first time such a major final visited the city.
The 2026 UEFA Super Cup, the 51st edition of the annual clash between the Champions League and Europa League winners, marked a significant shift in Austrian football hosting. While the nation had hosted six major European club finals previously, all had been played at Vienna's Ernst-Happel-Stadion. This included four Champions League finals (1964, 1987, 1990, and 1995), one Cup Winners' Cup final in 1970, and a 1994 UEFA Cup first leg.
The 2026 match was the first such final to be held in Salzburg, hosted at the Red Bull Arena. This 30,071-capacity venue, which opened in 2003 and served as a site for UEFA Euro 2008 group matches, provided a different stage for the contest. Due to UEFA's restrictions on third-party sponsorship, the stadium was referred to as Stadion Salzburg in official communications.
On the pitch, Paris Saint-Germain secured their second title with a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa. The match was notable for several milestones, including the performance of 17-year-old Brian Madjo, who became the youngest scorer in the competition's history at 17 years and 212 days. The match also featured a historic officiating appointment: Somali referee Omar Artan became the first non-European to lead the match, following a partnership between UEFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) established in April 2026.
The venue selection itself was finalized on 11 September 2025, during a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Tirana, Albania.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2026 UEFA Super Cup
- Also: Wikidata — 2026 UEFA Super Cup · CC0
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