Chelsea won their first European Cup Winners’ Cup in Athens in 1971.
The final was played against Real Madrid at Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece, part of the Athens metropolitan area. The first match, on May 19, ended 1–1 after extra time. Peter Osgood put Chelsea ahead, but Real Madrid equalized late through Ignacio Zoco, forcing a replay.
Two days later, the replay took place at the same stadium. Chelsea won 2–1, with Osgood and John Dempsey scoring in the first half. Real Madrid pulled one goal back through Sebastián Fleitas, but Chelsea held on to claim the club’s first major European trophy.
The location can sometimes cause confusion because Karaiskakis Stadium is technically in Piraeus rather than the municipality of Athens. Sports histories and contemporary accounts commonly describe the final as being played in Athens, making Athens the fair canonical answer to this quiz question. The Cup Winners’ Cup itself was a UEFA competition for domestic cup winners and was discontinued after the 1998–99 season.