Barcelona’s Camp Nou Chosen Over Wembley for 2029 Champions League Final; Munich to Host in 2028
Barcelona's revamped Camp Nou stadium has been chosen ahead of London's Wembley Stadium to hold the 2029 UEFA Champions League final. This announcement came from UEFA on Tuesday, signaling a renewal of good relations following the turbulent European Super League episode.
The decision places Barcelona at the center of European football one year before Spain co-hosts the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco. The 2030 final venue will be decided between Real Madrid’s renovated Santiago Bernabéu and a new 115,000-seat stadium under construction in Casablanca.
Munich Confirmed for 2028 Final
The UEFA executive committee also confirmed that the 2028 Champions League final will take place at Bayern Munich's stadium. Bayern was the sole bidder for that year, hosting just three years after their 2025 final.
Camp Nou's Renovation and Features
The Camp Nou is undergoing a long-awaited rebuild, expanding its capacity to 105,000 seats, making it the largest football stadium in Europe. While the upper tier and roof remain under construction, Barcelona emphasized that their venue will offer unparalleled hospitality and VIP services across the continent.
Its increased size should enable more fans of finalist teams to secure tickets. For comparison, the recent Champions League final at Budapest’s Puskas Arena allocated only 17,200 tickets each to Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal out of 61,400 tickets available to the public.
Historical Context
- 1999: Camp Nou last hosted the Champions League final when Manchester United scored two late goals to beat Bayern Munich.
- 1989: Camp Nou staged the European Cup final.
- Wembley: Has hosted the final eight times in total, including in 2011, 2013, and 2024 since 1999.
This season’s Champions League final will be held at Atlético Madrid’s Metropolitano stadium.
Women’s Champions League and Other Finals Announced
- Lyon, record eight-time Women’s Champions League winner, will host the 2028 women’s final.
- Cardiff will stage the 2029 women’s final at its national stadium, which also hosts the opening match of the men’s 2028 European Championship.
Europa League Final Hosts
- 2028: Romania’s national stadium in Bucharest.
- 2029: New Serbian national stadium near Belgrade.
Serbian football has grown closer to UEFA and will co-host the 2027 Men’s Under-21 Euros with Albania.
UEFA’s announcement comes shortly after controversy in Belgrade where Red Star and Partizan fans honored the late war criminal Ratko Mladić during a game. UEFA fined Red Star for related fan chants during a Europa League match.
This season’s Europa League final will be at Eintracht Frankfurt’s Waldstadion.
Conference League Finals Locations
- 2028: Turin, Juventus' 41,000-seat stadium.
- 2029: Budapest’s 67,000-seat Puskás Aréna.
The growing popularity of the Conference League since its launch in 2021 has prompted finals to move beyond the smaller venues used for the first two editions in Tirana and Prague.
Juventus’ selection follows their withdrawal from Super League legal disputes in 2023.
Real Madrid was the last founding Super League club to settle with UEFA in February. Their Bernabéu stadium, now seating 78,000 for major matches, has hosted four European Cup or Champions League finals, the last in 2010.
