UEFA seeks new venue for 2027 Champions League final

UEFA are on the lookout for a new host venue for the 2026/27 Champions League final.

That is after the governing body decided to strip San Siro, also known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, of the right to stage the game.

The Milan stadium was originally awarded the match in May of this year. But UEFA has concerns that construction work around the famous ground may impact on its ability to host the fixture.

The 2027 men's Champions League final will not be played in Milan amid uncertainties over the future of the San Siro stadium, European football's governing body UEFA said.

"As the Municipality of Milano could not guarantee that the San Siro stadium and its surroundings would not be affected by refurbishment works in the period of the 2027 UEFA Champions League final, it was decided not to assign the final to Milan," UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA added it was reopening "the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025."

The 2026 final will be held in Budapest.

It would have been the first time San Siro had played host to the Champions League final since 2016, when Real Madrid beat bitter rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties.

That is the only time the show-piece game has taken place in Italy over the last 15 years.

The European Cup final also took place at San Siro in 1965, when home favorites Inter Milan won 1-0 against Benfica, while Feyenoord and Bayern Munich have also lifted the famous trophy there, in 1970 and 2001, respectively.

Joint-tenants AC Milan and Inter Milan have both rejected renovation proposals in recent years.

The latter are believed to be in favor of building a completely new venue on the same site, whereas their fierce rivals have earmarked a plot in the suburb of San Donato as a potential area for a stadium.

San Siro will remain until at least 2026, though, as it is being used for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games.