Beijing time (CEST) 15 September — According to Mundo Deportivo, UEFA will hold an Executive Committee meeting today in Thessaloniki, Greece, to officially determine the host venue for the 2029 Champions League final. Two stadiums are in contention: Barcelona's Spotify Camp Nou and London's Wembley Stadium.

Reports suggest that UEFA favors Camp Nou over Wembley and it is likely to secure hosting rights. If selected, this would be the third time in history that Camp Nou has hosted a Champions League final. The previous two occasions were in 1989 (AC Milan defeated Steaua Bucharest 4-0) and 1999 (Manchester United scored twice in 102 seconds during extra time, completing a remarkable comeback with a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich).

For Barcelona, Thessaloniki—the venue for today's meeting—evokes memories from the 1980s: whenever Barcelona's basketball team defeated Aris, led by Nikos Galis and Panagiotis Giannakis, "rain" of coins would fall on the home court. Forty years later, Greece's second-largest city—an ancient metropolis once designated capital of Macedon by Alexander the Great—will today decide the host for the men's Champions League final on Saturday, 2 June 2029, with Spotify Camp Nou currently leading the race.

UEFA's Executive Committee will meet today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time to determine venues for several European competition finals. Mundo Deportivo reported on 27 August, during the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco, that Barcelona's home stadium holds a clear advantage over Wembley, which formally submitted its bid on 10 June.

UEFA, led by Slovenian president Aleksander Čeferin, highly values the joint proposal submitted by Barcelona alongside Barcelona City Council, the Catalan Government, the Spanish Football Federation, and the Spanish government. UEFA is also fully aware of the stadium's construction progress, with the roof expected to be completed by summer 2027 and the entire project by early 2028 at the latest.

Although the 2027 Champions League final has been confirmed for Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, this will not prevent Spain from hosting another final two years later. In fact, Munich's Allianz Arena, the sole bidder for the 2028 Champions League final, previously hosted the final in 2025.

In UEFA's view, a Champions League final venue with 104,600 seats (including 9,400 VIP seats) holds unparalleled appeal. Additionally, Barcelona's hotel capacity and air transport infrastructure are unquestionably robust. Transportation issues encountered when Budapest hosted the final in 2026 caused significant frustration among UEFA officials, and UEFA's collaborative approach now aligns well with Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

Before renovation, Spotify Camp Nou was Europe's largest stadium, and upon completion, its capacity will exceed Wembley's 90,000 seats, reclaiming the title. Although Wembley is also bidding, it will host the Euro 2028 final, two semi-finals, and one quarter-final.

UEFA Executive Committee Agenda Today

Determining host cities for:

1. UEFA Champions League final 2028 and 2029

2. UEFA Europa League final 2028 and 2029

3. UEFA Conference League final 2028 and 2029

4. UEFA Women's Champions League final 2028 and 2029

5. UEFA Super Cup 2027 and 2028

6. UEFA Futsal Champions League final tournament 2027

Other matters:

UEFA Women's European Championship regulations, including UEFA Women's Nations League and UEFA Women's qualifications (2027–29)

UEFA men's and women's youth competition regulations for the 2027/28 season

Amendments to UEFA Nations League regulations (2026/27 season): New playoff system (transitioning to the new format approved in May, reducing league tiers from four to three)

Bilbao Bids to Host 2028 Women's Champions League Final

The Executive Committee meeting in Thessaloniki will also determine whether San Mamés Stadium can host the Women's Champions League final again in 2028, following 2024. At the 2024 final, Barcelona Femení defeated Lyon Femenin 2-0 before 50,827 spectators, setting a historic attendance record. The stadium, with a capacity of 53,331, will compete against Groupama Stadium in Lyon (59,186 seats), St. Jakob-Park in Basel (38,512 seats), and Galatasaray's RAMS Park in Istanbul (53,978 seats). The 2027 Women's Champions League final will be held at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland (capacity 58,580).

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