The directors of the Uefa confirmed their decision that the final of the Champions League will take place in Istanbul, dismissing a report that suggested Lisbon as an alternative in case of unrest after the elections in Türkiye.
You can’t miss: Tom Brady will wear black and silver, will own the Las Vegas Raiders
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoganis in a close battle to stay in power for more than 20 years and is seeking his third term in Sunday’s election.
According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, the Uefa would have informally approached the Portuguese Football Federation as a contingency option in case of chaos in Istanbul; however, the agency issued a statement denying such conversations and assuring that the report was unfounded and incorrect.
The Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul was scheduled to host the 2020 and 2021 finals, but due to sanitary restrictions due to the pandemic, this was not possible. In both cases, the Portuguese Football Federation and the government took responsibility, and Lisbon hosted an eight-team mini-tournament, including the final without spectators in August 2020.