The UEFA official body has announced the UEFA Champions League finals host cities until 2025.

The 2021 finals had been scheduled to be played in Istanbul, but Covi-19 restrictions to people from the United Kingdom in Istanbul could have an impact on both finalists Chelsea and Manchester City who are both from the UK. UEFA then rescheduled the finals to Porto Portugal, where Chelsea won the match 1-0, a Kai Havertz winner.

The move to shift the 2021 finals had an impact on the host cities for the next four years and UEFA had to reschedule the host cities up to 2025.

Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
PHOTO: Courtesy

The Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, which is the home stadium to 2020 Champions Bayern Munich and which was the 2012 host, was scheduled to host the 2023 finals but has now been pushed forward to host the biggest club football match in the world in 2025.

Wembley, in London, was to host the finals in 2024, and nothing will change on that.

Wembley, London.
PHOTO: Courtesy

The Ataturk Olympic stadium in Istanbul, Turkey has now been handed the opportunity to host the finals in 2023, after missing in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions in Turkey.

Next year, the finals will be played in Russia, at the Saint Petersburg Stadium, the home stadium for Zenit Saint Petersburg.

On top of the rearranged finals in 2023, Istanbul has also been handed with a host to European club season kick-off, which includes the draws for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and then new UEFA Conference League for both the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons.

In the announcement, UEFA also went ahead and explained why Dublin and Bilbao pulled out as host cities to the just concluded EURO 2020 tournament.

UEFA explained that neither city could meet UEFA’s updated COVID safety guidelines relating to the return of fans at this summer’s tournament and was forced to withdraw from the competition. UEFA, however, said the two cities will both be given a chance to host a major game, and in that regard awarded Bilbao with the 2024 Women Champions League and the 2025 Europa League finals.

Dublin on its side will host the 2024 Europa League Finals.

Champions League Finals Venues

2022: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

2023: Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey.

2024: Wembley Stadium, London, England

2025: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany