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Champions League final 2017: Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to host Uefa's European showcase match, but when do tickets go on sale?

Wales will host the Champions League final in two tears time

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 30 June 2015 21:40 BST
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Fans won't have far to travel should a Premier League side reach the Champions League final in 2016/17 after Wales' Millennium Stadium won the right to host Uefa's European showcase tournament.

As well as hosting the culmination of the European season on Saturday 3 June, Cardiff will also host the Women’s Champions League final two days earlier at the Cardiff City Stadium.

It’s hoped by the Football Association of Wales that hosting the two matches will generate a “positive and long-lasting effect on Welsh football” and added that it reflects on the current form of Wales’ national team, who are on course to qualify for the European Championships in 2016.

"We believe that staging both the 2017 Uefa Champions League final and 2017 Uefa Women's Champions League final will have a positive and long-lasting effect on Welsh football," said FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford.

"Today's announcement is the culmination of two years' of hard work and I'd like to thank all those who've helped the FAW fulfil its ambition."

A view of the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (Getty)

The FAW’s bid was supported by the Welsh Rugby Union, who own the Millennium Stadium, and their chief executive Roger Lewis added: “The Millennium Stadium is one of Europe's great sporting arenas and I am confident it will provide a fitting stage for the 2017 Uefa Champions League final.”

FAW president Trefor Lloyd Hughes said: "Welsh football is certainly on the up and we look forward to working closely with Uefa and all of our stakeholders over the next two years to deliver two memorable finals."

The news comes not long after the Millennium Stadium missed out on staging fixtures at Euro 2020, where Uefa’s flagship national tournament will take place across 13 cities in 13 different countries. However, they have a history of hosting major tournaments and matches in the capital, having staged the 1999 Rugby World Cup final and the 2014 Uefa Super Cup, as well as annually hosting the Speedway British Grand Prix at the 74,500-capacity stadium.

Cardiff also hosted the 2013 Rugby League World Cup opening ceremony (GETTY IMAGES)

However, the mad scramble for tickets that is certain to take place will have to be put on hold for now, with Uefa set to open sales on 3 June 2017. 704 days and counting then.

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