Champions Festival acts as fun curtain-raiser for fans ahead of men's and women's UEFA finals

By David Gold

April 27 – The UEFA Champions Festival, the now traditional curtain-raiser to the Champions League final, is to take place in Munich from May 16 to 19, with the Olympiapark hosting the free event.

The festival (pictuerd above) – in the 1972 Olympic Games Olympic Park – features a range of games, exhibitions, museums and the opportunity to be photographed with the iconic Champions League trophy.

On hand during the festival at the event will be Paul Breitner and Steffi Jones (pictured below, left and centre), UEFA Champions League ambassadors for the men’s and women’s finals, respectively.

Jones is a Women’s World Cup winner for Germany from 2003 and helped organise FIFA’s women’s global showpiece in her native country last year.

Breitner won the 1974 World Cup West Germany defeated the Netherlands 2-1 at the Olympiastadion, in what is commonly regarded as one of the tournament’s most memorable finals.

The duo will meet and greet fans, and other major names from the world of football will also visit Munich for the Ultimate Champions match, due to take place at the Olympiastadion on May 19.

The game will see some of the great players who have graced European football over the years, such as Brazilian World Cup winner Cafu, Davor Šuker of Croatia and Denmark’s Michael Laudrup, who will face a team of German legends picked by Breitner.

Former Bayern Munich players Giovane Élber and Willy Sagnol will be on hand during the festival to help with skills and coaching clinics children can attend.

Each festival day has a unique theme: Wednesday will be for grassroots football to coincide with UEFA Grassroots Day with Thursday set aside as women’s football day and Friday a celebration of futsal.

Saturday will allow fans to gear up fans for the men’s final at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena that evening, which will be contested between Bayern Munich – the first club in the Champions League era to reach a final being held in its own stadium – and English side Chelsea.

The women’s Champions League final, between Germany’s Frankfurt and Lyon of France, takes place at the Olympiastadion, Bayern Munich’s former stadium, on May 17, and the fans festival can help attract supporters to attend the match.

UEFA is hoping to break the three-year-old attendance record of 28,112 for a women’s final with the tie taking place in Germany, a major women’s football power.

Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA director of competitions, said: “UEFA is proud to bring the annual UEFA Champions Festival to Munich, and offer an event that gives fans and families the opportunity to celebrate football and be in touch with the tremendous heritage of the European Cup in a fun environment.

“We hope that a record number of fans will visit the festival and participate in the exciting multi-events entertainment programme on offer.”

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