When is the 2017 Europa League final?

The Europa League final is right around the corner, but when exactly will it be played?

The Europa League has been the little sibling of the Champions League for some time now. It is the competition for teams on the cusp of competing in the Champions League, but aren’t quite there. This doesn’t mean the matches aren’t worth watching, however.

This year, Premier League giant Manchester United are playing Celta Vigo of La Liga in one of two semifinals. In the other, Dutch powerhouse Ajax are facing Ligue 1 side Lyon. These teams are prime examples of clubs that are on the cusp of being Champions League caliber, but fall just short. Luckily, the winner of the Europa League gets a berth into next year’s Champions League, so maybe one of these clubs will get to prove themselves at Europe’s top table.

After the first leg of each semifinal, the two favorites find themselves in the driver’s seat. Manchester United lead 1-0 on aggregate following a beautiful free-kick by Marcus Rashford in an otherwise uneventful first leg. On the other side, Ajax hold a comfortable 4-1 aggregate lead, but Lyon finding the away goal could prove to be pivotal, especially with Alexandre Lacazette likely to be back in the starting lineup for the second leg.

The likely matchup will be Manchester United and Ajax squaring off for a Champions League berth. This may be huge for United as they currently sit fifth in the Premier League, one place out of the Champions League qualification places. So finally, when will these two European giants face off?

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The Europa League final will be played on Wednesday, May 24 at 2:45 p.m ET. It should be a great game with a lot on the line for both sides, and well worth the wait.