The UEFA Champions League final stands as one of football’s most anticipated nights. It is the culmination of Europe’s premier club competition, bringing together two exceptional teams on the grandest stage and delivering drama, spectacle, and history year after year.
Naturally, such an occasion demands a stage worthy of its significance. Europe’s most iconic stadiums regularly play host to the tournament’s climax. In 2024, the honour falls to Wembley Stadium, but the competition has been graced by many legendary venues since the inaugural final in 1955, then known as the European Cup.
Across 68 finals, 34 stadiums have served as hosts — but only nine have staged the showpiece three or more times. Below is a look at the stadiums with the most Champions League/European Cup finals.
Stadiums With the Most Champions League Finals
9) Olympic Stadium – Athens, Greece
Finals: 1983, 1994, 2007
Built for the 1982 European Athletics Championships, Athens’ Olympic Stadium — often referred to as OAKA — welcomed its first European Cup final in 1983, when Hamburg edged Juventus to claim their first title.
In 1994, AC Milan demolished Barcelona 4–0 in front of roughly 70,000 fans. Thirteen years later, Milan returned to capture their seventh European crown, defeating Liverpool 2–1 thanks to a Filippo Inzaghi double.
Opened: 1982
Capacity: 75,000
Record Final Attendance: 73,500 (1983)
8) Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany
Finals: 1979, 1993, 1997
Constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich’s Olympiastadion hosted European giants between 1972 and 2005. Its first European Cup final came in 1979, when Nottingham Forest defeated Malmö for their maiden title.
In 1993, the stadium hosted the first final under the new “Champions League” banner, as Marseille edged AC Milan 1–0. Four years later, Borussia Dortmund claimed their first Champions League title here, beating Juventus 3–1.
Opened: 1972
Capacity: 69,250
Record Final Attendance: 64,400 (1993)
7) Hampden Park – Glasgow, Scotland
Finals: 1960, 1976, 2002
Scotland’s national stadium and home of Queen’s Park, Hampden has seen some of European football’s most memorable nights. The 1960 final between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt holds the record for the largest crowd ever at a European final — over 127,000 spectators watched Madrid win 7–3.
The venue hosted its second final in 1976 when Bayern Munich defeated Saint-Étienne, securing their third straight European Cup. In 2002, Zinedine Zidane’s breathtaking volley helped Real Madrid beat Bayer Leverkusen.
Opened: 1903
Capacity: 51,866
Record Final Attendance: 127,621 (1960)
6) Stadio Olimpico – Rome, Italy
Finals: 1977, 1984, 1996, 2009
Stadio Olimpico debuted as a European Cup final venue in 1977 when Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–1. In 1984, Roma reached the final on home soil but fell to Liverpool on penalties.
The 1996 final again went to penalties, with Juventus defeating Ajax. In 2009, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona secured a historic treble here, beating Manchester United 2–0, with Lionel Messi scoring via a rare header.
Opened: 1953
Capacity: 70,634
Record Final Attendance: 70,000 (1996)
5) Santiago Bernabéu – Madrid, Spain
Finals: 1957, 1969, 1980, 2010
Home to Real Madrid since 1947, the Bernabéu first hosted the European Cup final in 1957 when Los Blancos beat Fiorentina. AC Milan then dismantled Ajax 4–1 in 1969, before Nottingham Forest beat Hamburg 1–0 in 1980.
In 2010, Inter Milan triumphed over Bayern Munich 2–0, led by a brace from Diego Milito in José Mourinho’s final match with the Italians before he joined Real Madrid.
Opened: 1947
Capacity: 85,000
Record Final Attendance: 124,000 (1957)
4) San Siro – Milan, Italy
Finals: 1965, 1970, 2001, 2016
Opened in 1926, San Siro is one of football’s most recognised arenas. Inter Milan lifted the trophy here in 1965, beating Benfica. Five years later, Feyenoord defeated Celtic in extra time.
San Siro returned to the spotlight in 2001 as Bayern Munich beat Valencia on penalties. In 2016, Real Madrid once again beat Atlético Madrid on penalties in an all-Spanish final.
Opened: 1926
Capacity: 80,018
Record Final Attendance: 89,000 (1965)
3) King Baudouin Stadium – Brussels, Belgium
Finals: 1958, 1966, 1974, 1985
Formerly Heysel Stadium, this venue was once one of the most frequent European Cup final hosts. Real Madrid won the 1958 and 1966 finals here, while Bayern Munich triumphed in 1974 after a replay — the only final to be replayed.
Tragedy struck in 1985. Before Liverpool faced Juventus, poor stadium conditions and crowd trouble caused a wall collapse, killing 39 Juventus supporters. No major European final has returned since.
Opened: 1930
Capacity: 50,093
Record Final Attendance: 67,000 (1958)
2) Ernst-Happel-Stadion – Vienna, Austria
Finals: 1964, 1987, 1990, 1995
Originally named Praterstadion until 1992, Vienna’s national stadium first hosted the 1964 final, where Inter Milan beat Real Madrid 3–1. In 1987, Porto beat Bayern Munich 2–1 before AC Milan beat Benfica 1–0 in 1990.
In 1995, the venue — now renamed after legendary Austrian coach Ernst Happel — saw Ajax edge Milan 1–0 to claim their fourth European title.
Opened: 1931
Capacity: 50,865
Record Final Attendance: 71,333
1) Wembley Stadium – London, England
Finals: 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2024
The two generations of Wembley Stadium have combined to host more Champions League/European Cup finals than any other venue. The original ground staged five finals, witnessing English triumphs in 1968 (Manchester United) and 1978 (Liverpool).
The rebuilt Wembley held its first final in 2011, where Barcelona beat Manchester United 3–1. Bayern Munich then defeated Borussia Dortmund in 2013. The 2024 final returns under Wembley’s iconic arch.
Opened: 1923 / 2007
Capacity: 90,000
Record Final Attendance: 92,500 (1978)
The post 9 stadiums that have hosted the most Champions League finals appeared first on Vanguard News.
 
                                    