UEFA Finals: How are the host stadiums for the Champions League and Europa League selected?

The men’s Champions League final is usually held in stadiums with a capacity of at least 65,000 spectators, and in the past four seasons only stadiums with a capacity of more than 70,000 seats were chosen.

Only three stadiums with a capacity of less than 60,000 have hosted a Champions League final this century – Glasgow’s Hampden Park in 2002 (51,866), Gelsenkirchen’s Arena Auf Schalke in 2004 (54,740), and Porto do Dragao (50,033) in the Covid-hit 2021 final.

For the Europa League, the latest invitation letter distributed by UEFA stipulates that nominated stadiums must have a capacity of 40,000-60,000 spectators.

UEFA launched the Conference League in 2021 with the aim of giving clubs in less economically powerful national leagues the opportunity to compete in the latter stages of European competition, and so far the tournament finals have been played in smaller stadiums in countries that do not normally host major events.

The 42,000-capacity Wrocław Stadium in Poland, which hosted the 2024-25 tournament, is the largest to host a conference league final.

The Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens (32,500 spectators) and the Fortuna Arena in Prague (19,370 spectators) also hosted the final match.