Following the changes to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League format, the competition is even more interesting than before. Europe’s best football teams are giving everything they have in an attempt to win the most prestigious club football tournament.
Since the UCL attracts all top-tier clubs, it is no surprise that fans can also attend some of the best stadiums in Europe. Some of them are truly iconic and have hosted the UCL final many times, so let’s learn moe about them.
Wembley Stadium
When it comes to the UEFA Champions League stadiums, Wembley is among the first big names to come to mind. With its capacity of 90,000 people, it is one of Europe’s largest stadiums. Home to England’s national football team, Wembley has hosted eight UCL Finals so far.
Considering the size and importance of this stadium, it’s no surprise there are tons of intriguing facts about it. For example, did you know that Wembley Stadium was the place where England won the World Cup in 1966?
Wembley is also often used to host gigs by all kinds of musicians. Most people will always associate the stadium with Queen’s tour in 1986. In recent years, Adele broke the record by bringing together 98,652 people for her concert in 2017. It is no surprise that Wembley has also welcomed the likes of Madona, U2, and many other world-class musicians.
As mentioned, Wembley is also one of the largest stadiums in Europe. In fact, at the time of writing, it is the second-largest on the continent. First place goes to Camp Nou in Barcelona.
Santiago Bernabeu
The second iconic stadium that UCL fans will have access to in the 2024/25 season is Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid’s home is one of the most iconic and fan-favorite stadiums in Europe, and for good reason.
Located in Madrid, Spain, Santiago Bernabeu has a capacity of 85,000 people, making it one of the largest in Europe. Needless to say, this is also one of the most important UEFA Champions League stadiums because it has hosted the final 4 times.
Santiago Bernabeu’s construction began in 1944, just one year after the club’s new president was elected. Manuel Munoz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler were the two architects who had the hard task of making the project a reality. In the end, the stadium was ready around 3 years after the construction began.
Considering its age, it’s no surprise that Santiago Bernabeu has had several renovations over the years. The first one took place in 1955, and there have been many other improvements since then.
Stadio Olimpico
The third stadium in the UEFA Champions League that deserves more attention is Stadio Olimpico. Home to Roma and Lazio, it is Italy’s second-biggest venue (70,634) and one of the most iconic stadiums in Europe. So far, Stadio Olimpico in Rome has hosted four UCL finals.
Considering the stadium’s popularity, it is no surprise that there are tons of intriguing facts about it. For example, many people do not know that the stadium resides in a sports complex built by Mussolini. In fact, the stadium was often referred to as Foro Mussolini, but it changed its name after World War II.
Speaking of the war, it had a major impact on the stadium because it took several years to complete it. Following the completion of the original version in 1932, the work on it stopped due to the war and it resumed in 1950.
Interestingly, Stadio Olimpico was also entirely rebuilt for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.
San Siro
When discussing big stadiums and Italy, we need to mention San Siro. This is the country’s largest stadium in terms of capacity (80,018) and is located in Milan, Italy. San Siro is also home to two of Italy’s biggest football clubs – Milan and Inter. Both are among the top-tier names in the UEFA Champions League.
Like Stadio Olimpico, San Siro has hosted the UCL Final a total of 4 times. Another intriguing fact that some of you may not know is that San Siro is actually not the stadium’s official name. The latter is Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
Another fact that many football fans may not know is that the stadium is one of the oldest in Italy. San Siro’s construction started in 1925 and could accommodate around 35,000 people. Needless to say, AC Milan and Inter’s home underwent many renovations and upgrades over the year.
The first-ever football match played in the stadium took place on September 19, 1926, and it was between Inter and Milan. Interestingly, Inter won with the score of 6-3, which continues to be one of Milan’s most humiliating losses.
Heysel Stadium (King Baudouin Stadium)
The last UCL stadium we want to discuss is Heysel Stadium (King Baudouin Stadium). Although it may not be among the biggest in Europe, this venue has a special role in the UEFA Champions League because it has hosted the final four times. Home to the Belgium national football team, Heysel Stadium (King Baudouin Stadium) can accommodate around 50,093 people.
The bad news is that this stadium will always be associated with the so-called “Heysel Stadium disaster”. The event where football fans were crushed resulted in 39 deaths and 600 injuries, making it one of the deadliest football accidents ever. People may remember that this happened on May 29, 1985, in the Juventus vs Liverpool match – the European Cup Final.
Closing Thoughts
These were just some of the top-tier football stadiums that were fortunate enough to host the most important match in the UCL. Keep in mind that the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Final will be held at the Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena). The latter was home to the final in 2012, which was 13 years ago.
