Lyon to host 2018 UEFA Europa League final

The Stade de Lyon will host a UEFA club competition final for the first time after being named as the venue for the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League final.

The stadium was opened earlier this year in advance of UEFA EURO 2016, where it staged six matches, including France's round of 16 defeat of the Republic of Ireland and the semi-final between Portugal and Wales. It is also scheduled to hold the opening game and the final of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The decision was taken at Friday's UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon. The final will take place on Wednesday 16 May 2018. The other 2018 club finals will be hosted by Kyiv (UEFA Champions League) and Tallinn (UEFA Super Cup).

The 2017 UEFA Europa League final is set for Solna's Friends Arena on 24 May.

Factfile: Stade de Lyon
UEFA capacity: 58,000
Tenants: Lyon
Opened: January 2016

• Also known as Parc OL, the stadium replaced Stade de Gerland as the home of Lyon in time for UEFA EURO 2016.

• Located in the commune of Decines-Charpieu, 10km east of central Lyon, the stadium forms part of a complex spanning over 50 hectares and featuring a training ground for OL as well as hotels and office buildings.

• The Gerland hosted matches in the 1984 UEFA European Championship and 1998 FIFA World Cup as well as games in the 1972 Rugby League and 2007 Rugby Union World Cups.

• Lyon inaugurated the stadium on 9 January 2016 with a 4-1 victory over Troyes, Alexandre Lacazette scoring the first goal.

• Lyon have played UEFA Women's Champions League fixtures there, and their 7-0 semi-final first-leg defeat of Paris Saint-Germain in April 2016 was watched by 22,050, a French women's record club crowd.

• Six UEFA EURO 2016 matches were played there including the semi-final between Portugal and Wales.

• The stadium is due to stage the opening game and the final of the 2019 Women's World Cup.