UEFA has reopened the bidding process for the 2027 Champions League final after revoking Milan’s San Siro Stadium of its hosting rights. This decision leaves the prestigious event without a confirmed venue as UEFA seeks alternative locations.
San Siro, home to both AC Milan and Inter Milan, last hosted the Champions League final in 2016, where Real Madrid triumphed over Atlético Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout. The iconic stadium had been set to welcome Europe’s top teams once again in 2027 before UEFA’s recent change in plans.
In May, UEFA officially announced Milan as the host city for the 2027 Champions League final, while also designating the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, as the venue for the 2026 final.
However, UEFA’s confirmation of Milan as the 2027 host came with a condition: the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was required to submit detailed plans for the multi-million-pound renovation of San Siro Stadium.
The future of these renovation plans remains uncertain, as both AC Milan and Inter Milan are considering leaving the San Siro, officially known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, due to ongoing challenges in securing the necessary funding for the stadium’s overhaul.
If the required funds cannot be raised, the historic 75,817-capacity San Siro, which first opened its doors in 1926, faces the possibility of being demolished.
With uncertainty still surrounding the future of San Siro, UEFA has announced plans to seek a new venue for the 2027 Champions League final. This decision came following a meeting of UEFA’s Executive Committee on Tuesday.
In a statement, UEFA explained, “As the Municipality of Milano could not guarantee that the San Siro stadium and its surroundings would remain unaffected by refurbishment works during the period of the 2027 UEFA Champions League final, it was decided not to assign the final to Milan. The bidding process will be re-opened, with a decision expected in May/June 2025.”
Munich’s Allianz Arena is scheduled to host the 2025 Champions League final on May 31. However, when the bidding process opened in July 2023, only Budapest and Milan submitted bids to host the 2026 and 2027 finals. Now, according to a source, UEFA will reach out to cities that originally decided not to bid for the 2027 Champions League final, seeking fresh expressions of interest to find a new host venue.
