CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Where will the 2024 and 2025 Champions League finals be held?
The stadiums for the upcoming finals of Europe’s top competition have already been decided - here is all the information on the locations.
First of all, an apology. The 2023 Champions League final, at the time of writing, has not been played; the teams aren’t even out yet and here I am, talking about next year. But so are you, dear reader. The much-anticipated game between Manchester City and Inter Milan is being held at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul and promises to be a tactical battle between two sides who have incredibly opposing styles.
Built for an ultimately unsuccessful bid to host the 2008 Olympics, the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, with its running track, shallow stands and oddly open stands is great for watching javelins fly and hurdlers hurdle, but perhaps not for Europe’s elite competition. So will the tournament next year have a more appealing venue for the people who actually go?
Where is the 2024 Champions League final?
The final next year will be held at Wembley, in London. The English ground has held a grand total of 8 Champions League/European Cup finals and most recently held the showpiece event in 2013, when Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund. Before that, the 90,000-seater stadium was the host of the final between Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona and Manchester United.
Although not known for it’s rip-roaring atmosphere, Wembley, home of the England national team, is a more than capable location for a European final. If the England fans behave themselves.
Where is the 2025 Champions League final?
Yes, we are really travelling into the future in our TARDIS now. The final after next year’s final will be held in Germany, who are the hosts of the 2024 Euros (are you keeping up?). Bayern Munich’s 75,000-seater Allianz Arena will host the game and it will do so for the first time since 2012, where Bayern themselves lost in a shock result against Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea, who played with Ryan Bertrand at left-wing. How times have changed.
The 2015 Champions League final also took place in Germany, but not at the Allianz Arena. On that occasion, with Barcelona beating Juventus, it was held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This ground, which holds almost 75,000 people, will also hold the 2024 Euros final.