Wembley Stadium has been snubbed by UEFA in its bid to host either the 2028 or 2029 Champions League final, with European football's governing body awarding the marquee matches to Munich's Allianz Arena and Barcelona's Nou Camp instead.
The decision was confirmed following an executive committee meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Tuesday. Football officials in London had hoped to host a fourth Champions League final in less than 20 years at England's 90,000-seat national stadium, but UEFA bosses opted to reject the bid.
Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park had also submitted a bid alongside Wembley to host one of the showpieces, but the German venue was similarly turned down by committee members.
Champions League host venues
Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena will host the 2028 Champions League final, bringing European club football's biggest game back to Germany just three years after the venue staged the 2025 final. The modern 75,000-capacity arena is the home ground of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
Barcelona's newly renovated Nou Camp will then host the 2029 final. Once the long-awaited redevelopment of the iconic stadium in Catalonia is complete, the ground will become the largest football stadium in Europe, boasting a capacity of more than 100,000 spectators.
It will be the first time the Spanish venue has hosted the Champions League final since 1999. That famous match saw Manchester United score two stoppage-time goals to seal a dramatic comeback victory over Bayern Munich and complete an unprecedented Treble.
Security concerns at Wembley
Wembley last hosted the Champions League showpiece in 2024, when Spanish titans Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to secure their 15th European crown, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham featuring for the winners.
However, that 2024 final was shrouded in controversy following a Daily Mail Sport investigation into major security breaches at the North London venue. The investigation showed how ticketless supporters were able to gain entry into the stadium, with one undercover reporter gaining access without a ticket simply by handing a steward £100 in cash.
Other European finals and Nations League format
During the meeting in Greece, UEFA bosses also selected host venues for the Women's Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League finals across the same two-year period.
The Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon, France, will host the 2028 Women's Champions League final, while Cardiff's 74,000-seat Principality Stadium in Wales will host the 2029 women's showpiece.
In the men's Europa League, Bucharest in Romania will host the 2028 final, followed by Belgrade in Serbia in 2029. Meanwhile, the Conference League showpieces were awarded to Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, for 2028, and the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, which hosted the latest Champions League final, for 2029.
UEFA leaders also discussed the format of the upcoming Nations League tournament, which begins in the upcoming international break. The executive committee approved changes to the promotion and relegation system, allowing the international competition to transition from four leagues down to three for the 2028-29 edition.
