New Delhi: UEFA have confirmed that either Madrid or Baku will be hosting the final of the 2027 Champions League after Milan withdrew from the bid. The capital cities of Spain and Azerbaijan have shown interest in hosting European club football’s biggest match and were bidders after UEFA reopened the hosting rights.
Milan lost the hosting rights last month after failing to assure that the San Siro stadium, home ground for AC Milan and Inter Milan, would be ready to host a game due to reconstruction despite being given extended time. This means either Baku’s Olympic Stadium or Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium will host the all-important game in 2027.
💣🚨 BREAKING: UEFA confirms that Atlético Madrid has submitted its bid for the Metropolitano to host the 2027 Champions League final.
Another candidate would be the Olympic Stadium in Baku.
[via @rubenuria] pic.twitter.com/kRVKzUZcVc
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) October 23, 2024
Madrid’s Metropolitan, the home of Atletico Madrid, has been submitted as the possible venue by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The stadium had previously hosted the final of 2019 when Liverpool won against Tottenham Hotspur. Real Madrid’s home stadium, Bernanbeu, has also hosted the Champions League or the European Cup on four occasions.
UEFA’s decision on upcoming tournaments’ finals
On the other hand, Azerbaijan have yet to host a Champions League final, though the Olympic stadium has hosted the games of Euro 2020 and the 2019 Europa League final, which Chelsea won by defeating Arsenal. The two venues will now deliver their final proposals by March 19th, and UEFA will declare the decided venue of 2025.
Milan’s San Siro will be undergoing construction work between the 2026 Winter Olympics and hosting the 2032 European Championship. UEFA has announced that there are four bidders for the Women’s Champions League final in 2027: Warsaw in Poland, Spain’s Barcelona, Switzerland’s Basel, and Cardiff in Wales.
The European football body has already announced Allianz Arena in Munich for 2025 and Budapest’s Puskas Arena for 2026’s host stadium in the upcoming two Champions League finals.