DUBLIN: UEFA picked Budapest on Wednesday to host the men’s Champions League final in 2026 and delayed giving the 2027 game to Milan amid uncertainty over the future of San Siro.
The Puskás Arena and San Siro were the only two candidates for the two finals scheduled to be awarded. The next final on June 1 is at Wembley Stadium in London and Bayern Munich’s home will host next year.
The iconic San Siro, formally known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza and owned by the city of Milan, has been under long-term threat of demolition. Its shared tenants AC Milan and Inter Milan have looked for new homes they can own.
UEFA put off a decision until a September meeting of its executive committee subject to the Italian soccer federation “submitting information on refurbishment plans” for San Siro.
Earlier Wednesday, uncertainly increased in Milan as ownership of Inter switched from Chinese corporation Suning to United States investors Oaktree because of failure to repay debts.
The 75,000-seat San Siro still could host the European Cup or Champions League final for the fifth time, one year after staging the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 70,000-seat Puskás Arena opened five years ago and has been a go-to venue for UEFA, hosting a Europa League final last year and replacement games during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is a big fan of soccer and billionaire banker Sándor Csányi is a FIFA vice president representing UEFA.
UEFA’s executive committee also sent the Women’s Champions League final in 2026 to Oslo, Norway.
Istanbul will host the 2026 Europa League final in the downtown stadium of Besiktas and the 2027 game is going to Eintracht Frankfurt’s home. The 2025 Europa final is in Athletic Bilbao’s stadium, which also hosts the Women’s Champions League final next week.
The third-tier Conference League final in 2026 will also go to Germany, in Leipzig, and in 2027 to Istanbul, potentially also at the Besiktas stadium though that could change.
The Turkish soccer federation said it hopes the 2027 final can move to the new stadium being built in the capital Ankara ahead of the country co-hosting the men’s European Championship with Italy in 2032.
Turkiye gets to host European finals in back-to-back years while the Romanian national stadium in Bucharest, which last hosted a Europa League final in 2012, lost in votes to bring that title match back.
The Israeli soccer federation had originally entered the Conference League bidding contest last year proposing Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.
In other UEFA executive committee business ahead of the Europa League final, trials of safe standing areas for fans at European club competition games was extended next season to Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal and Scotland.
The UEFA-recognized Football Supporters Europe group has run a “Europe Wants to Stand” campaign and welcomed the new additions to consent for trials over the last two seasons in England, France and Germany. Also on the permitted list are Italy and Spain.
“Standing at matches positively contributes to the atmosphere of games enormously, is a significant element of fan culture across the continent, and helps to lower the pricing for these games generally,” FSE executive director Ronan Evain said in a statement.
UEFA picks Budapest to host 2026 Champions League final, delays 2027 decision on San Siro
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UEFA picks Budapest to host 2026 Champions League final, delays 2027 decision on San Siro
- The Puskás Arena and San Siro were the only two candidates for the two finals scheduled to be awarded
- The next final on June 1 is at Wembley Stadium in London and Bayern Munich’s home will host next year
West Ham reach FA Cup quarters after Ouattara’s penalty howler
- The east London club’s first FA Cup quarter-final for 10 years is welcome respite in a difficult season
LONDON: West Ham moved into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out against Brentford, who paid the price for Dango Ouattara’s spot-kick blunder on Monday.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side twice blew the lead as Jarrod Bowen’s double was canceled out by an Igor Thiago brace to force extra-time at the London Stadium.
But in the shoot-out, Brentford winger Ouattara attempted a chipped ‘Panenka’ penalty, but his woeful effort was straight at West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.
It was a awful mistake by the Burkina Faso international and West Ham made him pay.
Bowen, Valentin Castellanos, Callum Wilson, Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos all converted their spot-kicks, ensuring West Ham will host Leeds in April for a place in the semifinals.
The east London club’s first FA Cup quarter-final for 10 years is welcome respite in a difficult season.
They sit third bottom of the Premier League table, behind Nottingham Forest on goal difference, with nine games to save themselves from crashing into the Championship.
Seventh in the Premier League and in contention for European qualification, Brentford missed the chance to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1989.
Haunted by the threat of relegation, Nuno made seven changes to the side that won at Fulham in the league last week as he prioritized their survival bid.
West Ham took the lead in the 19th minute when Mateus Fernandes’ cross to the far post was headed down by Tomas Soucek and Bowen reacted quickest to steer past Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Brentford drew level nine minutes later as Thiago glanced Nathan Collins’ header into the net with his chest, the goal surviving a VAR check for a potential handball and offside.
The Hammers moved back ahead in the 34th minute when Adama Traore was tripped inside the penalty area by Michael Kayode.
Andy Madley didn’t give the spot-kick, but VAR official Constantine Hatzidakis told the referee to consult the pitch-side monitor and he changed his mind after watching the incident again.
Unfazed by the lengthy delay, Bowen sent Kelleher the wrong way from the spot.
Collins’ header was cleared off the line by Ollie Scarles before West Ham’s Axel Disasi missed a golden opportunity, scuffing his chance from close-range after Kelleher denied Soucek.
Kelleher made another fine save from Soucek on the stroke of half-time.
Bowen was unable to complete hat-trick as Kelleher produced yet another good stop from the England forward in the second half.
West Ham’s misses came back to haunt them in the 81st minute when Brentford equalized to force extra-time.
Crysencio Summerville conceded the penalty with a push on Kayode and Thiago stepped up to fire home from the spot.
The Brazilian forward has 21 goals in all competitions in his breakthrough campaign as he pushed for a place in his country’s World Cup squad.
Having used all their substitutes, West Ham finished extra-time with 10 men after Summerville hobbled off in the closing moments.
