UEFA Reopens Bidding for 2027 Champions League Final After Milan Loses Hosting Rights
UEFA has reopened the bidding for stadiums to host the 2027 Champions League final after Milan’s San Siro stadium were stripped of their hosting rights.
Why did Milan lose their hosting rights?
Milan were announced as the 2027 host city in May on the condition that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) were able to guarantee that the planned redevelopment of the San Siro stadium, which they had submitted as the proposed venue, would not cause any disruption to the Champions League.
However, they were unable to provide the guarantees, resulting in them being stripped of the rights to host the 2027 final at the UEFA Executive Committee meeting.
In a statement, 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 and to re-open the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025."
Future of San Siro stadium uncertain
The San Siro stadium has been a significant part of football history, and last hosted the Champions League final in 2016, when Real Madrid triumphed over Atlético Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout.
However, the future of the stadium is currently uncertain as they continue to attempt to secure the funding for the redevelopment of the stadium. If the funding is not secured, the stadium, which opened in 1926, could be demolished.
Both AC Milan and Inter Milan are considering building a new stadium in the San Siro area, which has cast further doubt on the future of the current facility.
Who could be the next host of the 2027 Champions League final?
The potential new hosts for the 2027 final are currently unknown, as in the initial bidding only Budapest and Milan submitted bids for the 2026 and 2027 finals. UEFA announced in May that the 2026 final will be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, while Munich’s Allianz Arena is set to host the 2025 final on May 31st 2025. UEFA are now set to encourage other cities to bid on the final.
Updates to solidarity funding and new women’s football strategy decided at UEFA Executive Committee meeting
In addition to Milan being stripped of their hosting rights for the 2027 final, the UEFA Executive Committee meeting also saw agreements on updates to solidarity funding for Europe’s top football leagues.
The Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and Bundesliga will have their solidarity payments capped at €10 million per season until 2027. The aim of the funding is to help clubs that do not compete in European competitions to support competitive balance across leagues in the continent.
Details of UEFA’s new women’s football strategy for 2024 to 2030 were also discussed during the meeting, though specifics have yet to be released.
