Understanding the UEFA Super Cup: Format, History, and 2026 Contenders

The UEFA Super Cup is a yearly football match organized by Europe’s main football authority. It kicks off the European club season by featuring a showdown between the previous season’s UEFA Champions League winner and the UEFA Europa League champion. This event acts as an official opener for the new football campaign, typically held in mid-August before most leagues begin their fixtures.

Is the UEFA Super Cup a major trophy?

Although not viewed as the most prestigious title in European football, the UEFA Super Cup holds significant value. Clubs must have already claimed one of the two top continental trophies just to qualify. Thus, winning this silverware remains an important achievement across European clubs, despite the match often being seen as a high-profile exhibition.

Who will compete in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup?

In 2026, the Super Cup will feature Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. PSG secured the Champions League last season, marking their second consecutive European crown. They also lifted the Super Cup recently by defeating Tottenham on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Aston Villa earned their spot by winning the Europa League in 2025/26, their first major European trophy since the 2001 Intertoto Cup. This will be Villa’s first Super Cup appearance since 1982, when they beat Barcelona 3-1 over two legs — the format used back then.

Format of the UEFA Super Cup

Since 1998, the UEFA Super Cup has been decided by a single match. If the score is tied after 90 minutes, it goes directly to a penalty shootout without extra time starting from the 2024 edition. Previously, matches would include 30 minutes of extra time before penalties, but this was removed to reduce strain on players early in the season.

Past Winners of the UEFA Super Cup

• 2025: Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Tottenham (PSG won 5-4 on penalties)
• 2024: Real Madrid 2-0 Atalanta
• 2023: Manchester City 1-1 Sevilla (Man City won 5-4 on penalties)
• 2022: Real Madrid 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
• 2021: Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (Chelsea won 6-5 on penalties)
• 2020: Bayern Munich 2-1 Sevilla (after extra time)
• 2019: Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea (Liverpool won 5-4 on penalties)
• 2018: Atletico Madrid 4-2 Real Madrid (after extra time)
• 2017: Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United
• 2016: Real Madrid 3-2 Sevilla (after extra time)
• 2015: Barcelona 5-4 Sevilla (after extra time)
• 2014: Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla
• 2013: Bayern Munich 2-2 Chelsea (Bayern won 5-4 on penalties)
• 2012: Atletico Madrid 4-1 Chelsea
• 2011: Barcelona 2-0 Porto
• 2010: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Inter
• 2009: Barcelona 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (after extra time)
• 2008: Zenit St. Petersburg 2-1 Manchester United
• 2007: Milan 3-1 Sevilla
• 2006: Sevilla 3-0 Barcelona
• 2005: Liverpool 3-1 CSKA Moscow (after extra time)
• 2004: Valencia 2-1 Porto
• 2003: Milan 1-0 Porto
• 2002: Real Madrid 3-1 Borussia Dortmund
• 2001: Liverpool 3-2 Bayern Munich
• 2000: Galatasaray 2-1 Real Madrid (golden goal)
• 1999: Lazio 1-0 Manchester United
• 1998: Chelsea 1-0 Real Madrid
• 1997: Barcelona 3-1 Borussia Dortmund (aggregate)
• 1996: Juventus 9-2 Paris Saint-Germain (aggregate)
• 1995: Ajax 5-1 Real Zaragoza (aggregate)
• 1994: Milan 2-0 Arsenal (aggregate)
• 1993: Parma 2-1 Milan (aggregate)
• 1992: Barcelona 3-2 Werder Bremen (aggregate)
• 1991: Manchester United 1-0 Red Star Belgrade
• 1990: Milan 3-1 Sampdoria (aggregate)
• 1989: Milan 2-1 Barcelona (aggregate)
• 1988: Mechelen 3-1 PSV Eindhoven (aggregate)
• 1987: Porto 2-0 Ajax (aggregate)
• 1986: Steaua Bucharest 1-0 Dynamo Kiev
• 1984: Juventus 2-0 Liverpool
• 1983: Aberdeen 2-0 Hamburg (aggregate)
• 1982: Aston Villa 3-1 Barcelona (aggregate)
• 1980: Valencia 2-2 Nottingham Forest (away goals)
• 1979: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Barcelona (aggregate)
• 1978: Anderlecht 4-3 Liverpool (aggregate)
• 1977: Liverpool 7-1 Hamburg (aggregate)
• 1976: Anderlecht 5-3 Bayern Munich (aggregate)
• 1975: Dynamo Kiev 3-0 Bayern Munich (aggregate)
• 1974: Ajax 6-1 Milan (aggregate)