Champions League final moves to Porto, 12K fans can visit
The all-English Champions League final will be held in Porto with 12,000 fans from Chelsea and Manchester City, UEFA confirmed Thursday. The May 29 showpiece was moved from Istanbul to the 50,000-capacity Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal due to England imposing tougher pandemic travel restrictions on Turkey that would have prevented fans from flying in.
Wembley Stadium was the initial alternative
The initial alternative had been to use Wembley Stadium in London, but talks with the British government stalled on Monday over being able to secure quarantine waivers for the guests and broadcasters required by UEFA to attend the game. But Portugal is among the 12 territories that England is allowing people to return from without quarantine beginning next week.
Tickets for registered fans went on sale on Thursday
UEFA said 6,000 tickets to both Chelsea and City fans would go on sale on Thursday. "Fans have had to suffer more than twelve months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football. I am delighted that a compromise has been found to make it happen," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said.
Last year's final was played without fans in Lisbon
Last year's final, which was also moved to Portugal, was played without fans in Lisbon as Bayern Munich won. "We accept that the decision of the British Government to place Turkey on the red list for travel was taken to protect its citizens from COVID-19 but it presented us with a major challenge in staging a final featuring two English teams," Ceferin said.
Estádio do Dragão hosted the Euro Nations Cup 2019 final
The Estádio do Dragão hosted the European Super Cup and the final of the Euro Nations Cup in 2019. Manchester City is yet to record a win at this stadium. City had played a draw, 0-0 with Porto in the group stage of the competition in December, the only game they have failed to win in the tournament so far.
