Istanbul to host 2020 UCL final

ISTANBUL’S Ataturk Olympic Stadium will host the 2020 UEFA Champions League final, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin confirmed yesterday.

The 76,000-capacity ground played host to Liverpool’s famous comeback from 0-3 down to win the UCL on penalties against AC Milan in 2005.

The 2020 Europa League final will be in Gdansk, Poland, with the UEFA Super Cup being held at Porto’s Estadio Dragao.

Vienna will play host to the women’s 2020 UCL final.

UEFA has been under pressure to ensure future final host cities have the hotel and airport infrastructure to cope with the influx of fans, delegates and media for the biggest game in club football.

Liverpool has complained to UEFA after its fans faced spiralling accommodation and travel costs for tomorrow’s final against holder Real Madrid in Kiev, the Ukrainian city which played host to the Euro 2012 final.

“They just don’t have the airport infrastructure and the hotel capacity to cope with an event of this size and there isn’t another major city within real hitting distance of it,” Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore told the Liverpool Echo. “It’s not only affected Liverpool fans but Real Madrid fans, too.”

Next season’s final will be held at the 67,000-capacity Wanda Metropolitano, home of Atletico Madrid.