2023 Europa Conference League Final
Forty-three years of hurt, ended in a single, glorious Prague night.
The 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final was the night West Ham United finally exorcised 43 years of hurt, beating Fiorentina 2-1 in Prague. Played on June 7, 2023, at the Fortuna Arena, it marked the Hammers' first major European final since 1976 and only their second ever. The victory added a third major trophy to the cabinet—alongside the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup and the 1980 FA Cup—and forever etched David Moyes into club folklore as the manager who brought continental silverware back to East London.
Quick Facts
- Opponent
- ACF Fiorentina
- Venue
- Fortuna Arena, Prague
- Result
- West Ham United 2–1 Fiorentina
- Winning goal
- Jarrod Bowen (90th minute)
- Manager
- David Moyes
- Trophy
- UEFA Europa Conference League
- Significance
- First major trophy in 43 years
Lore & Background
The 2022–23 season was a white-knuckle ride for West Ham. A sluggish Premier League start had the club peering at relegation, but the Europa Conference League became their lifeline and obsession. Moyes' men cruised through the group stage, then dispatched AEK Larnaca, Gent, and AZ Alkmaar in the knockouts, each round laced with late drama. The semi-final against AZ Alkmaar saw the Hammers overturn a first-leg deficit and survive a nerve-shredding second leg in the Netherlands, where a pitch invasion by home fans was met by West Ham players shielding their families.
That grit carried into the final. Against a formidable Fiorentina, West Ham fell behind early but leveled through a Said Benrahma penalty after a VAR check. The game hung in the balance until the 90th minute, when Lucas Paquetá threaded a perfect pass to Jarrod Bowen, who slotted home to detonate pandemonium among the 20,000 travelling fans. The final whistle sealed a 2-1 win, and captain Declan Rice lifted the trophy—his last act for the club before a summer transfer.
The victory ended the long drought and punched a ticket to the following season's Europa League, vindicating Moyes' patient rebuild.
Reader's Guide
The 2022–23 season began with modest expectations for West Ham United. David Moyes, under pressure after a difficult previous campaign, had rebuilt the squad with signings like Paquetá and Emerson Palmieri. The Premier League form was a rollercoaster, but the Europa Conference League offered a different path—one paved with drama. The group stage was navigated comfortably, and the knockout rounds brought edge-of-the-seat moments: a 4-1 aggregate win over AEK Larnaca, a 4-1 thrashing of Gent, and a tense semi-final against AZ Alkmaar. The second leg in the Netherlands saw West Ham fall behind early, but goals from Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio turned the tie around, setting the stage for the final in Prague.
Did You Know?
- Jarrod Bowen's winning goal in the 90th minute remains the latest winner in a UEFA Europa Conference League final.
- The victory ended West Ham's 43-year wait for a major trophy, their first since the 1980 FA Cup.
- Declan Rice captained the side to glory in his final match for the club before his record transfer to Arsenal.
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