Real Madrid to host Under-20 Intercontinental Cup final at the Bernabeu in historic first | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s youngsters are set to take centre stage in a historic occasion, with the club set to host the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup final at the Santiago Bernabeu, as reported by Diario AS.

As Youth League champions, Real Madrid’s Juvenil A side will face Santiago Wanderers of Chile, winners of the U-20 Copa Libertadores, on September 19 in what promises to be a landmark moment for youth football.

A first for European football

The match is now official, and it comes with plenty of significance attached. For the first time in its history, the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup will be played in Europe, and it will take place at the Bernabeu.

The game will be held on September 19. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

In all likelihood, it will be the youth match with the largest audience in the history of Spanish football, a fitting stage for a clash between the champions of the Youth League and the Copa Libertadores.

The fixture is falling on the same weekend as the Madrid derby at the Metropolitano.

Whether the two matches fall on the same day or across the weekend will depend on La Liga’s scheduling, but the youth final will kick off at lunchtime regardless.

Chasing an attendance record

The game will be held on the same weekend as the Madrid derby. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The previous four editions of the tournament have all been held in South America, and all have been won by the home side.

The inaugural edition in 2022 saw Benfica edge Penarol 1-0 at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Boca Juniors followed in 2023, beating AZ on penalties at La Bombonera.

This was before Flamengo triumphed at the Maracana in both 2024 and 2025. The latter, a 2-1 penalty shootout win over Barcelona, drew a record crowd of 45,656 spectators.

That figure is now the target. Should Real Madrid surpass an attendance of 45,657, this year’s final would become the most-watched Under-20 Intercontinental Cup in history, an achievable goal given the setting.