Wembley to host 2013 Champions League final marking FA's 150th birthday

By Andrew Warshaw

June 16 – The Champions League final will return to Wembley in 2013 just two years after it staged this season’s final between Manchester United and Barcelona, UEFA announced today.

In an unprecedented move to mark to the 150th anniversary of the English Football Association, UEFA President Michel Platini said the organisation’s annual Congress in the same year would also take place in London.

At a news conference at UEFA’s Nyon headquarters following a meeting of its Executive Committee, Platini declined to disclose which other cities had bid to stage the 2013 final, saying only that the decision to award it to London was unanimous and as a result of “exceptional circumstances”.

“We thought it was our duty to show this was a clear milestone for football,” said Platini.

“One hundred and fifty years ago, a handful of people in England set up the laws of the game.

“For those who are surprised we are going back to England two years after this season, this is the explanation.

“I know this may seem exceptional but it was important to us to respect the anniversary of our game.

“If we don’t know our past, we have no way of knowing our future.”

It will be the seventh time that Wembley has hosted the Champions League or European Cup final, the most of any venue.

In the weeks leading up to this season’s showpiece fixture, brilliantly won 3-1 by Barcelona, Platini personally apologised for the high tickets prices and said UEFA would consider introducing a cheaper category for families for future finals.

The decision will be a welcome boost for the FA who are desperately keen to build bridges with European football’s governing body following the spectacular fall-out with FIFA over the re-election of Sepp Blatter as President.

On a recent visit to Euro 2012 joint hosts Poland and Ukraine, UEFA officials made a point of stressing how impressed they were with Wembley’s organisation of Barcelona-United as well as the atmosphere inside the stadium.

Meanwhile, UEFA also announced that the 2013 Europa League final will be held at the Amsterdam ArenA while for the first time the UEFA Super Cup, between the Champions League and Europa League winners – which for years has been held in Monaco where the draw for both competitions traditionally takes place – will be switched to Prague.

“We wanted to give more national associations the chance to see star players,” said Platini.

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