Understanding the UEFA Super Cup: Format and Past Winners
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual football match organized by UEFA that officially kicks off the European club season. It features a contest between the previous season's champions of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. This game serves as a season opener, often held in mid-August just before most European leagues start their campaigns.
Does the UEFA Super Cup count as a major trophy?
Although it is not considered the most prestigious trophy in European football, the UEFA Super Cup holds significant value because only clubs that have already won a major European competition qualify to play. Winning this silverware remains highly sought after by clubs across Europe despite its showcase nature.
Who will play in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup?
In 2026, the match will see Paris Saint-Germain face Aston Villa. PSG secured the Champions League title in the previous season, marking their second consecutive European triumph. They also won the last UEFA Super Cup, defeating Tottenham on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Aston Villa earned their spot by winning the 2025/26 Europa League, their first continental trophy since the 2001 Intertoto Cup. This will be Villa's first UEFA Super Cup appearance since 1982, when they defeated Barcelona over two legs.
Format of the UEFA Super Cup
Starting from 2024, the Super Cup is played as a single match with no extra time. If the game is tied after 90 minutes, it moves directly to a penalty shootout. Prior to 2024, extra time was used before penalties. The format changed in 1998 from a two-legged tie to this one-off match setup.
Rules on Extra Time and Penalties
If teams are level at full time, the game skips extra time and goes straight to penalties to reduce strain on players early in the season. Before 2024, matches would go into 30 minutes of extra time first.
Past Winners of the UEFA Super Cup
- 2025: Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Tottenham (5-4 on penalties)
- 2024: Real Madrid 2-0 Atalanta
- 2023: Manchester City 1-1 Sevilla (5-4 on penalties)
- 2022: Real Madrid 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
- 2021: Chelsea 1-1 Villarreal (6-5 on penalties)
- 2020: Bayern Munich 2-1 Sevilla (after extra time)
- 2019: Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea (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 (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 PSG (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)
