UEFA once more excludes Milan from contending in the Champions League finale
The UEFA is in search of a new location for the 2027 Champions League final. The reason behind this change is that Milan couldn't guarantee that its San Siro stadium and associated facilities would be in top shape by the time of the event. Consequently, Milan had to relinquish its claim to hosting the major tournament.
Following a meeting of its Executive Committee in Prague, UEFA disclosed this decision. Milan's inability to ensure timely completion of stadium renovations and infrastructure development led the UEFA to deny Milan the opportunity to host the men's final.
The bidding process for a new venue will commence once again, as per the announcement's statement. The Executive Committee is expected to make a decision on the new final location between May and June 2025. The 2025 Champions League final will take place at Munich's Allianz Arena, while the following year's final will be held in Budapest.
In the UEFA's announcement at the end of May, a series of final venue locations for upcoming years were revealed. The 2027 Europa League final will occur in Frankfurt, with Leipzig hosting the 2026 Conference League final. The 2026 Champions League final will be held in Budapest, and subject to Milan's affirmation, the Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium in Milan will host the 2027 final.
As a result, Milan must now patiently wait for its fifth Champions League final. The last time the Champions League trophy was presented at the San Siro was in 2016, when Real Madrid emerged victorious against local foes Atlético. Back in 2001, Bayern Munich claimed victory in the final held in Milan, defeating Valencia on penalties.
After Milan was unable to meet UEFA's requirements for stadium readiness, the discussion shifted towards finding a new location for the 2027 Champions League final. Despite the setback, Milan remains hopeful about hosting the tournament in the future, as indicated in the UEFA's announcement.
