Champions League final to be moved after Milan’s San Siro stripped of hosting 2027 showpiece

The iconic stadium was due to host a first final in 11 years but Uefa is now searching for an alternative city

Jack Rathborn
Tuesday 24 September 2024 16:30 BST
Comments
Newcastle are taking on AC Milan at the San Siro
Newcastle are taking on AC Milan at the San Siro (Reuters)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Uefa has stripped Milan of hosting rights for the 2027 Champions League final.

The major move from European football’s governing body comes due to an inability to guarantee the San Siro would not be affected by refurbishment work.

The stadium, also known as the Giuseppe Meazza, was set to host European club football’s showpiece match for the first time since 2016.

Then, Real Madrid defeated rivals Atletico on penalties, but Uefa has begun searching for a new host with a decision to be announced next summer.

A statement from Uefa read: “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 and to re-open the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025.”

The San Siro, home of both AC Milan and Inter Milan, was also the host of the 2001 final between Bayern Munich and Valencia, with the German side winning in a penalty shoot-out.

The future of the stadium has been uncertain in recent years, with both Serie A giants involved in discussions over the prospect of a renovation or an entirely new ground in the city in order to compete with other modern stadia in Europe.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in