UPDATimes - New York - The European Football Federation (UEFA) officially announced the 2020-2021 Champions League final will take place at Estadio do Dragao, Portugal on Sunday 30 May 2021 WIB. UEFA also confirmed the presence of fans from the two finalists to watch the match live in the stadium.
Initially, the 2020-2021 Champions League final that brought Chelsea and Manchester City together will take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey. However, Britain's decision to set Turkey on the red list of Covid-19 travel destinations, changes had to be made.
The Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 29 (30 May WIB) has been moved from Istanbul, Turkey, to Porto, Portugal. The move was made to allow British supporters to travel under COVID-19 restrictions, European football's governing body UEFA said on Thursday.
The final was originally due to be held at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, but last week Turkey was put on the red list for Britain's trip so it could not be attended by supporters from the club's home country.
However, the location of the match has been officially moved to FC Porto's Estadio do Dragao in Portugal.
UEFA said the two clubs would receive 6,000 tickets which will go on sale from today. However, the number of spectators allowed to watch the match has yet to be confirmed.
Previously, the British government has lobbied UEFA to hold the final match in England. Wembley Stadium is also one of the venues targeted to host the top party between Chelsea vs Manchester City.
However, the negotiations were stalled because UEFA could not guarantee an exemption from quarantine for media and guests to fly to London. Finally, Estadio do Dragao in Portugal was chosen to host the 2020-2021 Champions League Final.
UEFA previously wanted to move the final to London's Wembley Stadium, but canceled due to the difficulty of obtaining exceptions for visiting delegates, broadcasters and sponsors to England.
"I think we can all agree that we hope never to have a year like the one we just had," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement quoted by Reuters on Thursday.
"Fans have had to suffer more than twelve months without the ability to see their team in person, and reaching the Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football."
"Losing the chance for supporters to watch the match in person is not an option, and I am happy that this compromise has reached an agreement," he added.
Portugal has been added to the British government's "green list" starting May 17, which means Manchester City and Chelsea fans from England can come to Portugal to watch the Champions League final.
"UEFA discussed moving the match to England. Despite the efforts of the FA and the authorities, it was impossible to achieve, "said a UEFA statement on their official website, Thursday (13/5/2021).
"The Portuguese authorities and the FPF stepped in and worked quickly with UEFA to offer a suitable place for the final, and as Portugal is a green list destination for England, fans attending the final need not be quarantined on their return home," added a UEFA statement.
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