Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious tournament in club football. This season, the race for the title is wide open, with a whole host of Europe's finest faltering in recent weeks. French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain are in danger of not qualifying for the knockout stages while English champions Manchester City were recently on the receiving end of a 4-1 drubbing by Sporting CP in Lisbon. Add to that reigning champion Real Madrid's recent defeat at home to AC Milan, and it's clear that the tournament is there for the taking.
Between now and 31st May 2025, the 36 teams competed down to just two finalists, and they will battle it out for the famed big-eared trophy. But which stadium will they contest the final in? Let's find out, as well as the stadiums which will host the finale in the years to come.
Thanks to the newly revamped UCL format, which has seen the eight groups of four replaced in favour of a 36-team elongated initial group stage, we will see a whopping 189 games in total played throughout this year's tournament. That number is a huge increase from the usual 125 games played over the last 21 years, something that has come in for criticism from fans, players, and pundits alike. But while the tournament looks completely different this year, one certain thing is that all roads lead to Munich, specifically the Allianz Arena.
The home of Bayern Munich will host this season's showpiece, and the Bavarians will be hoping to contest the final in their home ground for the second time. They contested the final on home soil back in 2012 after beating Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid in the semifinals. Unfortunately for them, however, there would be a sting in the tale.
Despite being huge underdogs courtesy of an ageing and injury-ravaged squad, Chelsea managed a defensive masterclass to walk out as champions. Didier Drogba bagged a last-minute equaliser before Petr Cech went on to become the hero and help the Blues emerge victorious via a penalty shootout. Which team will lift the trophy in the second-biggest stadium in Germany this season?
It was recently announced that the state-of-the-art Puskas Arena in Budapest was awarded the right to host the 2026 Champions League final. The five-year-old stadium was named after iconic former Hungary and Real Madrid striker Ferenc Puskas, with the amphitheatre being a testament to the country's rich footballing history and a status within the game which they seek to return to.
The stadium is located in the heart of one of the continent's most picturesque cities, has a capacity of over 67,000, and has plenty of spectators to do when outside of the matchday experience. It hosted games at the one-year-postponed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, witnessing Hungary's resounding 3-0 defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and a 1-1 draw with heavyweights France. It also hosted 2023's Europa League final, a tournament controversially won by specialists Sevilla with a penalty shootout victory against AS Roma.
For 2027, the decision of where to hold the final is yet to be finalised between two remarkable stadiums: Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan and Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain. Both venues bring distinct advantages to the table.
The Azerbaijani ground has a capacity of around 68,000 and is an architectural gem on the Caspian Sea's shores. Opened in 2015, it has quickly become a focal point for sporting events in the region, hosting Chelsea's resounding 4-1 drubbing of Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final as well as a host of games at Euro 2024.
On the other hand, Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital offers a different allure. As the home of Atletico Madrid, the stadium boasts a capacity of over 68,000 and is renowned for its incredible atmosphere. Liverpool lifted the Champions League trophy there back in 2019 when goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi sealed a 2-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur. Will another European Champion be crowned here in two and a half years?
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