1999–2000 UEFA Cup — 29th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA
Galatasaray became the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup champions, defeating Arsenal on penalties in the first edition to absorb the defunct Cup Winners' Cup.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 29th UEFA Cup
- Winner
- Galatasaray
- Final venue
- Parken Stadium, Copenhagen
- Final result
- 0–0 AET; Galatasaray won on penalties
- Defending champions
- Parma (eliminated in fourth round)
- Fatal stabbings
- 2 Leeds United fans killed in Istanbul
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The UEFA Cup's 29th edition introduced a new format after absorbing the defunct Cup Winners' Cup, incorporating domestic cup winners and an additional knockout round. Galatasaray entered as Turkish champions while Arsenal represented England, setting up a meeting in the final at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
The final ended 0–0 after ninety minutes and thirty minutes of extra time, proceeding to a penalty shootout in which Gheorghe Popescu scored the decisive kick. Galatasaray won the tournament without losing a single match throughout the competition. The semi-finals were overshadowed by violence, including the fatal stabbings of Leeds United supporters Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus by Galatasaray fans in Istanbul.
Galatasaray's victory earned them a place in the UEFA Super Cup, marking the first time the UEFA Cup winners qualified for that competition. They also qualified for the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship, which was ultimately never held, making them the only UEFA Cup winners ever to qualify for a Club World Cup.