UEFA picks Budapest to host 2026 Champions League final but delays 2027 decision on San Siro

uefa picks budapest to host 2026 champions league final but delays 2027 decision on san siro

The players of Frankfurt and Leipzig leave the pitch after a fire alarm in the video cube during the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Leipzig at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, May 18, 2024 (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)

DUBLIN (AP) — 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 picks budapest to host 2026 champions league final but delays 2027 decision on san siro

Inter's Marcus Thuram celebrates their victory of the "scudetto" after the Serie A soccer match between Inter and Lazio at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

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.

Turkey 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.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer

Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press

OTHER NEWS

15 minutes ago

Family of Afro Indigenous activist in immigration detention worries he may be deported back to danger

17 minutes ago

Lethbridge College to become a polytechnic institution

17 minutes ago

Sask. high schoolers graduate after unusual four years

19 minutes ago

Video: Abbie Chatfield reveals surprise family news after 'hard launching' new boyfriend Adam Hyde

19 minutes ago

Lakers' new coach JJ Redick is accused of calling African-American woman the N-word at Duke in early 2000s.... but ex-Blue Devils star denies claim

20 minutes ago

Seasoned Pennsylvania teacher Neil Young wants to take his ‘heart of gold’ to Congress: ‘The real deal’

20 minutes ago

Yes, They All Broke Up

20 minutes ago

More than two thirds of mothers feel their vote does not count, survey reveals

20 minutes ago

Cubs release one-time World Series champion amid career-worst season

21 minutes ago

Caucus discipline the ‘most fundamental principle’ of Labor Party

21 minutes ago

Practice Footage Of LeBron, Bronny, And Bryce Is Going Viral

21 minutes ago

Just Stop Oil Twickenham protester was ‘doing his duty as a doctor’

21 minutes ago

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange boards plane out of UK as part of plea deal with the US

21 minutes ago

Plano gymnast moved to North Texas in hopes of making Team USA

21 minutes ago

Home in south-west Sydney targeted in drive-by shooting

21 minutes ago

FlameFest set to fire up winter in Mandurah with two-day sizzling entertainment festival

21 minutes ago

GM reveals the American Holden Commodore that never was

21 minutes ago

Community donates more than $11,000 to help young Greenfields family after house fire

21 minutes ago

Rockingham: Ben Smith & Drew La Reservee mourning unexpected death of 16-month-old son Micah

21 minutes ago

Mandurah composting facility C-Wise threatens residents with legal action for ‘defamatory’ Facebook posts

21 minutes ago

Vauxhall threatens to pull plug on UK car making amid row over EV sales targets

21 minutes ago

Girls Aloud's Nadine Coyle left red-faced after very awkward stage blunder

21 minutes ago

Google announces surprise event, teases Pixel 9

24 minutes ago

Illinois Tollway unveils ‘lane blades' to help clear debris, keep drivers safe

26 minutes ago

Oleksandr Usyk vacating IBF title ahead of Joshua-Dubois bout

26 minutes ago

Source: Jim Schlossnagle leaves Texas A&M for Texas baseball job

26 minutes ago

‘Multiple people’ could be charged in Matthew Perry’s overdose death

26 minutes ago

WTA roundup: Caroline Wozniacki pulls upset in Bad Homburg

26 minutes ago

2025 BMW M5 becomes a 535kW PHEV V8 weapon

26 minutes ago

Here's how much the price of gold has dropped since May (and why you should still invest)

26 minutes ago

NRL News: Chad chats with club for Sydney swansong, Edwards primed for delayed Origin debut

26 minutes ago

Driving test fail rates rise as young people race to book test slots anywhere they can

26 minutes ago

Gadecki leads big Aussie charge at Wimbledon qualifying

26 minutes ago

Sánchez could earn up to $54.5M with Phillies from 2025-30 if he wins 2 Cy Young Awards

26 minutes ago

Elly De La Cruz hit a long homer and drives in 3 runs as Reds rout Pirates 11-5

26 minutes ago

A Shopper Who Bought This Retinol Serum 6x Calls It 'an Eraser' for Wrinkles

26 minutes ago

BTS' V ‘TYPE 1' Is Coming, Katy Perry Previews Lyrics At Paris Fashion Week & More | Billboard News

26 minutes ago

Slater and DCE on cusp of joining Maroons great duos

26 minutes ago

Camila Cabello name checks Cristiano Ronaldo and prompts an awkward exchange with the audience; 'Don't boo me'

26 minutes ago

Decades after war, North Korea still builds borders, draws warning shots