The final was played over two legs at the Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden, and at Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland.

The competition was won by IFK Göteborg of Sweden, who defeated Dundee United of Scotland by an aggregate result of 2–1 to claim their second title.

This is the second and last European tournament won by a Swedish team, five years after Göteborg's first UEFA Cup conquest in 1982, as well as the last European final played by a Swedish team, while Dundee United became the last team from Scotland to reach a European final until 2003.

This was the second season in which all English clubs were banned from European football competitions.

[1][2] A total of 64 teams from 31 UEFA member associations participated in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup, all entering from the first round over six knock-out rounds.

The association ranking based on the UEFA country coefficients is used to determine the number of participating teams for each association: Due to the ongoing English ban, their four births were allocated to associations 9–12, each gaining a third birth.

For the 1986–87 UEFA Cup, the associations are allocated places according to their 1985 UEFA country coefficients, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 1980–81 to 1984–85.

The semi-finals reverted to being played in the same days, and the two-legged final again had a two week interval.

Vitória de Guimarães won 3–2 on aggregate.

3–3 on aggregate; Dukla Prague won on away goals.

1–1 on aggregate; Dukla Prague won on away goals.

Vitória de Guimarães won 2–1 on aggregate.

Vitória de Guimarães won 3–1 on aggregate.

The game was abandoned in the 70th minute because of the dense fog and replayed a week later.

1–1 on aggregate; IFK Göteborg won on away goals.