Tirana to stage first Europa Conference League final in 2022

Tirana's National Arena has been picked as the venue for the first UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday 25 May 2022, the first UEFA final at any level to be played in Albania.

The UEFA Executive Committee made the decision at its meeting on 3 December 2020. The new competition will run for the first time from 8 July 2021 alongside the existing UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

The 21,690-capacity National Arena (Arena Kombëtare) opened in November 2019 with a European Qualifier between Albania and France. It was built, with the help of UEFA’s HatTrick assistance programme, on the site of the former Qemal Stafa Stadium in the centre of the Albanian capital.

Opening the stadium, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: "Over the last few years, Albania has made tremendous progress both on and off the pitch in terms of its football development. Now youngsters across the country can dream of one day representing Albania in this magnificent stadium."

Football Association of Albania (FShF) president and UEFA Executive Committee member Armand Duka said at the inauguration: “Finally, supporters from across the country will be able to watch our national team play in a fantastic modern arena."