Barcelona's Nou Camp Secures 2029 Champions League Final Over Wembley
Uefa announced on Tuesday that Barcelona's renovated Nou Camp will host the 2029 Champions League final, edging out Wembley Stadium in London. This decision sets the stage for a major football event in Spain just one year before the country co-hosts the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco.
The World Cup final venue is still undecided, with options including Real Madrid's revamped Santiago Bernabéu or a new 115,000-seat stadium in Casablanca.
Other Key Hosting Decisions
Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena will host the 2028 Champions League final. It was the only bidder and last welcomed the final in 2025.
Barcelona’s Nou Camp is currently undergoing delayed reconstruction work. The stadium’s top tier and roof remain incomplete, but it remains set to showcase the prestigious 2029 final.
Historical Context
Barcelona last hosted the Champions League final in 1999, remembered for Manchester United's late turnaround against Bayern Munich with two stoppage-time goals.
Wembley has been a regular host, staging the final eight times since the European Cup began 71 years ago, including three times since 2011 (2011, 2013, and 2024). This snub marks a rare miss for the iconic London venue.
The upcoming 2026 final will take place at Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium.
London Also Loses Out on World Athletics Championships
On the same day, London was also denied the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The city competed against Nairobi, Munich, and Rome, with Nairobi winning the bid to become the first African city to host the event.
"The interest in hosting our world championships has frankly never been higher," said World Athletics president Seb Coe. "Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic. Nairobi has presented a compelling and emotional bid."
Coe praised Nairobi as a vibrant, fast-growing metropolis that serves as East Africa's economic, cultural, and political hub. He highlighted Kenya's rich athletics history through stars like Faith Kipyegon, Vivian Cheruiyot, Eliud Kipchoge, Hellen Obiri, David Rudisha, Kip Keino, Paul Tergat, and Tegla Loroupe.
"It was important that the World Athletics Championships should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid, and the right circumstances. Nairobi has demonstrated emphatically that this is their moment to supercharge our sport, leaving a compelling legacy that inspires a continent."
