The stadiums that host the annual finals of the three males’s European membership competitions – the Champions League, Europa League, and Convention League – are chosen by governing physique Uefa.
Just a few years earlier than every ultimate, the Uefa normal secretary sends a letter to every of its 55 member associations inviting bids from potential host nations and stadiums. The letter units out which finals can be found to bid for, and what the minimal standards is for a bid to be submitted.
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Nationwide soccer associations and stadium operators who’re then work collectively to create a bid, making an attempt to current a convincing case in areas together with stadium entry, regional occasions, hospitality, and safety.
events then submit a bid file to Uefa, which is evaluated in opposition to these submitted by rival bidders. Throughout analysis, Uefa could ask bidders for extra info or firmer commitments on issues like renovations works.
Bidding durations are sometimes open for a number of seasons, that means bidders can ask to host a ultimate in a selected yr, or register their curiosity for any ultimate throughout a interval of some years.
The 2024-25 Uefa Europa League ultimate is being held at San Mames stadium in Bilbao [Getty Images]
There are main financial advantages of internet hosting a ultimate – probably the most notable being the sudden inflow of tourism within the native area from travelling followers.
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Newly constructed stadiums typically bid for – and are awarded – main European finals. Internet hosting showpiece occasions helps operators offset the large outlay of constructing a brand new enviornment, Uefa may be eager to reward funding in new soccer infrastructure, and newer stadiums profit from up-to-date services.
What standards should stadiums meet to host Uefa finals?
Uefa ranks stadiums throughout Europe in 4 classes, with one being the bottom and 4 the very best.
Solely category-four stadiums can host main finals. A category-four stadium should have a capability of at the least 8,000 and meet a plethora of different qualifying standards, which embrace stringent guidelines on services together with:
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Pitch and dressing-room sizes
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Variety of turnstiles, media working positions, and parking areas for broadcast vans and VIPs
Regional infrastructure – like airport capability, variety of obtainable resort rooms, and transport – can also be taken under consideration when bids are appraised.
What about stadium capability for finals?
The Champions League ultimate is often held in stadiums with a capability of at the least 65,000, and up to now 4 seasons solely stadiums with greater than 70,000 seats have been chosen.
Solely three stadiums with a capability lower than 60,000 have hosted the Champions League ultimate this century – Hampden Park in Glasgow in 2002 (51,866), Area AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen in 2004 (54,740), and Porto’s Estadio do Dragao (50,033) within the Covid-impacted 2021 ultimate.
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For the Europa League, the latest a call for participation circulated by Uefa stipulated bidding stadiums have been required to have a capability of 40,000-60,000.
The Convention League was launched by Uefa in 2021 with the objective of giving golf equipment in much less economically sturdy nationwide leagues the chance to compete within the latter levels of European competitors, and to date the match’s finals have been held in smaller stadiums in international locations that don’t sometimes host main occasions.
The 42,000-capacity Wroclaw Stadion in Poland, which is able to host the 2024-25 showpiece, will turn into the biggest to have hosted the Convention League ultimate.
In earlier seasons, the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens (32,500) and the Fortuna Area in Prague (19,370) have each hosted the ultimate.
Which stadiums are in Uefa class 4?
Uefa doesn’t publish a full checklist of stadiums and classes, however all present English stadiums which have hosted Champions League soccer up to now 10 years – Anfield, Emirates Stadium, Etihad Stadium, King Energy Stadium, Outdated Trafford, St James Park, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park and Wembley – are class 4.
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There are 5 class 4 stadiums in Scotland – Celtic Park, Hampden Park, Ibrox, Murrayfield, and Tynecastle.
Different main arenas throughout Europe together with the Stadio Olympico in Rome, the Bernabeu in Madrid, and the Nou Camp in Barcelona additionally sit in class 4.
The place will the 2026 and 2027 Uefa finals be held?
Uefa has already introduced a few of the host venues for its future finals.
Champions League
• Puskas Area – Budapest, Hungary – 67,215 – 30 Might 2026
Europa League
• Besiktas Stadium – Istanbul, Turkey – 42,590 – 20 Might 2026
• Waldstadion – Frankfurt, Germany – 58,000 – 26 Might 2027
Convention League
• Pink Bull Area – Leipzig, Hungary – 47,800 – 27 Might 2026
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• Besiktas Stadium – Istanbul, Turkey – 42,590 – 2 June 2027
The 2027 Champions League ultimate was initially awarded to the San Siro in Milan, Italy, however issues over refurbishment plans imply the choice was revoked in 2024.
No alternative host has but been introduced, however Uefa has narrowed down its alternative to 2 choices – the 70,000-capacity Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, which final held the ultimate in 2019, and the 69,870-capacity Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, which beforehand hosted the identical yr’s Europa League ultimate.
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