Manchester United and Tottenham will meet in a European final for the first time
As many as 80,000 fans descending on a city with a population of 345,000.
It is not hard to imagine how the northern Spanish city of Bilbao will be tested as Manchester United and Tottenham prepare for Wednesday’s Europa League final.
Uefa, European football’s governing body, has apologised in the past for the chaotic scenes at the 2022 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris and for transport issues at the 2023 final between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Istanbul.
So how is Bilbao coping?
How big is Bilbao and the San Mames stadium?
Bilbao is the 10th largest city in Spain by population and the biggest city in the north-east region of Spain known as the Basque country, which also includes tourist hotspot San Sebastian.
With 345,000 residents, Bilbao is smaller than the cities of Palma on the island of Mallorca and Las Palmas in Gran Canaria.
The San Mames stadium, opened in 2013, is home to La Liga side Athletic Club, whom United beat in the semi-finals.
It has a capacity of just over 53,000 but that has been reduced to 49,600 for the final.
It hosted the Women’s Champions League final in 2024 and the 2018 finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup and Champions Cup, and was due to host four Euro 2020 games which were moved because of Covid-19 restrictions.
How have fans travelled to Bilbao?
Bilbao is not as easy to reach as you may think.
It is served by direct flights from only three English cities – London, Manchester and Bristol.
According to reports in Spain, 282 flights are expected in Bilbao on Wednesday – a record for a single day – while there has been a 94% week-on-week spike in departures from the UK to Bilbao.
The prices of those flights – some as high as 1,400 – soared once United and Spurs made it to the final, with airlines scrambling to put on added flights to meet demand.
Even then, many fans had been priced out, preferring instead to catch indirect flights or fly to nearby Spanish or French cities before making connections.
Others have avoided flying, preferring instead to cross the Channel via ferry, car or train to France before making their way to the north coast of Spain.
Some fans took a direct 33-hour ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, while one United fan made a 2,500 mile journey from Manchester taking in Dublin, Paris and Rome.
Bilbao has one airport, which is 12km from the city centre.
Most people opt for a bus or taxi into town but local newspaper El Correo reported, external that Uber prices have surged to more than 100 euros for a journey which normally costs about 30.
Fans take 33-hour ferry for Europa League final
Where are fans staying?
Bilbao has an estimated 13,000 hotel beds.
It does not take a mathematician to work out that the city may have a problem accommodating its English visitors.
Double rooms in some central hotels have been going for more than 1,800 per night.
Many fans have booked rooms or hostels, are staying with locals or are commuting from nearby towns, while United fan Matthew Blackford slept in a park with his friends to avoid “silly hotel prices”.
“I’m with a few mates and we only arrived in Bilbao at 10.30 last night,” he told BBC Sport.
“We headed straight out for a few drinks. It only dawned on us later ‘where are we going to sleep tonight?’
“We found some benches. I managed to get my head down for three or four hours.
“I am pretty skint, but couldn’t help myself and wanted to try and get here.”
Alfie Watts, who won BBC’s Race Across the World last year, is a Spurs fan and flew from Stansted to Santiago de Compostela. He then drove six hours to Gorliz, which is about 45 minutes from Bilbao
Has there been any trouble?
Wednesday’s game will be the sixth all-English European final in history.
The meeting of two teams from any country in an event of this magnitude would test resources, but particularly so when it involves teams whose fans travel in such numbers.
Local police have reported minor clashes between supporters in Bilbao and San Sebastian, which is 48 miles away.
However, no arrests have been made and the atmosphere between the supporters in Bilbao is said to be generally friendly.
There will be three security rings around the stadium for the game and more than 1,500 officers have been put on duty, with all special units working.
BBC Sport has been told that, given the amiable atmosphere, there are no plans for police escorts to accompany fans from the city centre to the stadium.
How many fans are attending the final?
Each team were allocated about 15,000 tickets, with the remainder given to Uefa sponsors or bought by neutrals, including officials, other sponsors and guests.
Both teams have been designated fan zones in separate areas of the city.
United’s is in Etxebarria Parkea, with a capacity of 20,000 and beer costing five euros.
Club legends Denis Irwin and Andy Cole will be in attendance and there will also be performances from Liam Fray of the Courteeners and Mani from the Stone Roses.
Tottenham’s designated area is in Ametzola, where fans have been promised a countdown to kick-off with live music and special guest appearances.
