UEFA confirm Wembley WILL host 2024 Champions League final despite Euro 2020 troubles while European showpiece also returns to Istanbul in two years time – months after it was stripped of fixture due to pandemic
- UEFA announced the host venues for the next four Champions League finals
- Wembley will host the 2024 final despite the security breach at Euro 2020 final
- The Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul will also finally play host to the European final
- It was stripped of this summer’s showpiece due to the coronavirus pandemic
- Meanwhile, St Petersburg will host next year’s final and Munich the 2025 final
Wembley Stadium will host the Champions League final in 2024, UEFA has announced.
The decision to award Wembley the final in three years time comes days after the national stadium suffered a severe security breach during the Euro 2020 final, which saw over five thousand ticketless hooligans force their way into the concourses and take their spots among empty seats and corridors inside the ground.
The breach left the FA red-faced before being charged by UEFA over the chaotic scenes that marred Sunday’s showpiece.
Wembley Stadium will host the Champions League final in 2024, UEFA has announced
However, in spite of all this, Wembley will host the final in three years time – 11 years after it hosted the 2013 European final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium has been awarded the 2023 Champions League final by UEFA.
The Turkish venue had been due to stage the match in 2020 and 2021 but UEFA was forced to make changes in both years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Football fans storm through security barriers as stewards desperately try to hold them back
Football fans managed to force their way through just moments ahead of Sunday night’s final
Lisbon took over as host for a final-eight ‘mini-tournament’ last year and this May’s all-English encounter between Chelsea and Manchester City was switched to Porto at short notice.
As a result of the latest change, Munich’s Allianz Arena will now host the final in 2025 rather than 2023. Next year’s encounter is due to be played in St Petersburg.
‘Following the relocation of the 2021 UEFA Champions League final from Istanbul to Porto, it was decided to award the staging of the 2023 UEFA Champions League final to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul,’ read a statement from UEFA.
The European governing body has also announced that the Europa League final will be held in Dublin in 2024 and Bilbao in 2025.
Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium has been awarded the 2023 Champions League final by UEFA
Chelsea and Manchester City’s final was switched to Porto at short notice back in May
Bilbao has also been awarded the 2024 Women’s Champions League final. Both cities were due to host Euro 2020 matches prior to the pandemic.
The statement added: ‘Following the withdrawal of hosting rights for UEFA Euro 2020 from two of the original hosts cities, the UEFA executive committee today approved a settlement agreement which includes the staging of future club competition finals, recognising the efforts and financial investment put (in) by the two cities in preparing for the tournament.’