The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of European soccer, with the winning team not only earning continental bragging rights but also a substantial cash prize and a place in sporting history.
Last year, Real Madrid emerged victorious for a record-extending 15th time, defeating German side Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in the final at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.
However, the final isn’t always held at Wembley. In fact, it changes location each year, rotating through some of Europe’s biggest and best stadiums.
So, where will it be held this year?
This year’s Champions League final is set for Saturday, May 31 at the Allianz Arena, home to German giant Bayern Munich.
The stadium, which accommodates exactly 70,000 spectators for European matches, is the second-largest soccer ground in Germany, behind Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion.
Famous for its vibrant colors, the Allianz Arena is the first stadium in the world to feature a fully color-changing exterior.
The 2012 Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern was also held here. Chelsea triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout, with Didier Drogba scoring the iconic spot kick that secured the Blues’ first-ever victory in the competition.
Since its inception in 1955-56 as the European Cup, the Champions League final has been held in 34 different stadiums.
Of these, 17 venues have hosted the final more than once, with 11 holding it three times or more.
Wembley Stadium holds the record for hosting the Champions League final the most, having welcomed the event eight times.
Here’s a list of all the venues that have hosted more than one Champions League final, along with the years they held the event:
|
Venue |
Location |
No. of UCL Finals |
Years |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wembley Stadium |
London, England |
8 |
1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2024 |
|
Ernst-Happel-Stadion |
Vienna, Austria |
4 |
1964, 1987, 1990, 1995 |
|
Heysel Stadium |
Brussels, Belgium |
4 |
1958, 1966, 1974, 1985 |
|
San Siro |
Milan, Italy |
4 |
1965, 1970, 2001, 2016 |
|
Santiago Bernabeu |
Madrid, Spain |
4 |
1957, 1969, 1980, 2010 |
|
Stadio Olimpico |
Rome, Italy |
4 |
1977, 1984, 1996, 2009 |
|
Hampden Park |
Glasgow, Scotland |
3 |
1960, 1976, 2002 |
|
Olympiastadion |
Munich, Germany |
3 |
1979, 1993, 1997 |
|
Olympic Stadium |
Athens, Greece |
3 |
1983, 1994, 2007 |
|
Parc des Princes |
Paris, France |
3 |
1956, 1975, 1981 |
|
Stade de France |
Saint-Denis, France |
3 |
2000, 2006, 2022 |
|
Allianz Arena |
Munich, Germany |
2 |
2012, 2025 |
|
Atatürk Olympic Stadium |
Istanbul, Turkey |
2 |
2005, 2023 |
|
Camp Nou |
Barcelona, Spain |
2 |
1989, 1999 |
|
De Kuip |
Rotterdam, Netherlands |
2 |
1972, 1982 |
|
Estádio da Luz |
Lisbon, Portugal |
2 |
2014, 2020 |
|
Neckarstadion |
Stuttgart, Germany |
2 |
1959, 1988 |
In May 2024, UEFA confirmed that the 2026 Champions League final would be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.
The 67,215-seater stadium—named after legendary Real Madrid and Budapest Honvéd striker Ferenc Puskás—previously hosted the 2023 Europa League final, where Sevilla defeated AS Roma on penalties.
At the same time, UEFA announced that Milan’s San Siro was “on hold” as the venue for the 2027 final, pending additional details from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) regarding its refurbishment plans.
However, in September, UEFA stripped the San Siro of hosting rights after the FIGC failed to guarantee that construction work wouldn’t disrupt the stadium and its surroundings during the final.
Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan and the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid have since expressed interest in hosting the 2027 final, with UEFA expected to make a final decision on Mar. 19.
The venue of each year’s Champions League final is decided through a bidding process, where eligible stadiums submit an application to UEFA to host the match.
To be considered, stadiums must meet UEFA’s Category 4 criteria, the highest classification under its Stadium Infrastructure Regulations.
This means the stadium must meet specific criteria, including designated media and broadcast facilities, floodlighting standards, and transport accessibility, among other requirements. While a Category 4 stadium only needs a minimum of 8,000 seats, UEFA typically only considers venues with a capacity of over 60,000 for the Champions League final.
Applications are usually submitted years in advance to allow sufficient time for preparations. The final decision is made by UEFA’s Executive Committee, which consists of 20 elected members from different countries, with no more than one representative per nation.
