Champions League final to be moved as venue stripped of hosting privileges by UEFA | Football | Sport
UEFA are set to move the Champions League final to a new stadium after stripping the original venue of its hosting privileges. The iconic San Siro, which is shared by Italian rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan, was due to host European football’s showpiece event in 2027.
However, the stadium has been stripped of its hosting rights and will no longer serve as the venue for the match. It means UEFA will need to find a new arena which meets the requirements to host the Champions League final in three years’ time.
The governing body decided to move the fixture away from the San Siro after local authorities failed to guarantee that it would not be impacted by planned refurbishment works.
A statement read: “Municipality of Milano could not guarantee that the San Siro stadium and its surroundings would not be affected by refurbishment works.”
The San Siro will be given a major facelift in the coming years, with AC Milan and Inter Milan both supporting the plan to renovate the stadium. The iconic venue, which boasts a capacity in excess of 75,000, is set to undergo a process of modernisation ahead of Euro 2032.
Italy are bidding to co-host the tournament along with Turkey and it has been determined that the San Siro will need to be renovated in order to stage matches.
The famous arena has witnessed some of football’s biggest games since it was built and opened to the public nearly a century ago. It was the venue for the Champions League final in 2001 before hosting the match again in 2016.
It was also the stage of the European Cup finals in 1965 and 1970, the latter of which saw Inter Milan win the tournament.
The San Siro hosted games at two World Cups in 1934 and 1990 as well as three group stage matches at the Euros in 1980. The stadium is due to host the opening ceremony of the next Winter Olympics in 2026, which will take place in Milan and the surrounding area.
UEFA are yet to confirm which stadium will host the Champions League final in 2027 but have announced that a decision will be made by June next year.
