Birmingham is celebrating tonight, and it has every right to. Aston Villa have won the UEFA Europa League — their first continental trophy in 44 years — and the city is about to party.
How Villa won it
Unai Emery guided Aston Villa to a commanding 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the 2026 Europa League final in Istanbul. It was a performance that left no doubt about who deserved to lift the trophy, and it sent thousands of claret and blue fans into raptures inside the stadium and back home in Birmingham.
Fans erupted at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena as they watched their team score in the final, with one supporter describing it as “one of our best moments in life — what a time to support Aston Villa.”
When was the last time Aston Villa won a trophy?
The win was Villa’s first silverware since the League Cup in 1996, and a first continental trophy since the European Cup in 1982 — that famous night when Peter Withe’s goal beat Bayern Munich in Rotterdam. Four decades and four years of waiting, finally over.
The club described it as an “historic evening” and said they wanted to create a “unique experience for fans and players alike” to bring the trophy home.
The Aston Villa parade 2026 — date, time and route
Here’s everything you need to know if you’re heading into Birmingham today.
The parade will begin on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter at approximately 4.30pm and cover a route of approximately 4.5km, taking in Sand Pits, Broad Street and Centenary Square. The parade is expected to last between 60 and 90 minutes.
The parade features three open-top buses. Big screens will be positioned throughout the route, so you don’t need to rush to a specific spot — find a place along the route and the screens will keep you in the action.
During the planning process, the club explored the possibility of recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking the players to Victoria Square, as well as erecting a stage in Centenary Square to allow for greater fan engagement. Sadly the logistics — with Birmingham Pride taking place on Monday and players needing to report for World Cup international duty on June 1 — meant today was the only viable window.
For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on VillaTV, as well as on YouTube and across the club’s social media channels.
The man behind it all: Unai Emery
It’s impossible to talk about this achievement without giving proper credit to the most decorated manager in Europa League history.
Emery has now won the UEFA Europa League with Sevilla, Villarreal and Aston Villa. Between 2014 and 2016, he won three consecutive titles with Sevilla — a feat no manager had previously achieved in the competition’s modern format. He then returned to the top of the tournament with Villarreal in 2021, defeating Manchester United in a legendary penalty shootout final, giving him his fourth Europa League title and officially establishing him as the competition’s most successful manager.
With five Europa League trophies, he holds the all-time managerial record. Diego Simeone is the only other coach to have won it more than once in the Europa League era, with just two titles to his name.
When Emery arrived at Villa Park in late 2022, the ambition was clear. He said at the time that he wanted to “make new history” with Aston Villa. On a warm night in Istanbul, he did exactly that.
What a time to be a Villa fan.
Aston Villa Europa League parade: today, Thursday May 21. Starts Branston Street, Jewellery Quarter, 4.30pm. Route through Sand Pits, Broad Street and Centenary Square. Live on VillaTV, YouTube and Villa social media.