Cardiff to host 2029 women's Champions League final
September 15, 2026 10:25
Cardiff's Principality Stadium has been chosen to host the 2029 UEFA Women's Champions League final. The venue seats 73,931 and will be rebranded as the National Stadium of Wales for the match to meet UEFA's sponsorship requirements.
Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney described the selection as a major boost for Welsh football, particularly the women's game. The Welsh Rugby Union, which owns the stadium, welcomed the appointment and highlighted the event's potential to underline the growth of women's sport.
KEY CONTEXT
- The Principality Stadium opened in 1999 (originally called the Millennium Stadium) and previously staged the men's Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus in 2017.
- Cardiff City Stadium hosted a previous Women's Champions League final nine years earlier, contested by Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon; Lyon prevailed on penalties after a goalless draw after extra time.
- The Principality Stadium is the largest stadium in Wales and was the venue for this season's FA Community Shield, in which Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0.
WHY IT MATTERS
Hosting the women's Champions League final places one of Europe's premier women's club matches in Wales, offering high-profile exposure for the national game. FAW leadership has framed the appointment as part of a broader push to accelerate development of women's and girls' football in Wales. For the stadium and the WRU, it represents another major international fixture after recent high-profile events.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- The stadium will be officially referred to as the National Stadium of Wales for the event; organisers will follow UEFA's naming and sponsorship rules.
- FAW has signalled an intention to use the occasion as a catalyst for long-term growth in women's football in Wales; monitoring any concrete programmes or legacy initiatives that follow will show whether that aim is realised.
- UEFA's wider finals calendar has also been announced, so preparations and hosting plans for other finals (men's and women's) across Europe will progress in parallel.
KEY FACTS
- Venue: Principality Stadium, capacity 73,931.
- Will host: 2029 UEFA Women's Champions League final; stadium to be called National Stadium of Wales for the event.
- Ownership: Welsh Rugby Union; stadium opened in 1999 (formerly Millennium Stadium).
- Past finals: Hosted 2017 men's Champions League final; Cardiff City Stadium hosted a women's final nine years earlier (PSG v Lyon, Lyon won on penalties).
- Related UEFA announcements: Munich will host the 2028 men's final and Barcelona the 2029 men's final; 2028 women's final at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. Other club final hosts include Bucharest (2028 Europa League), Belgrade (2029 Europa League), Juventus Stadium in Turin (2028 Conference League) and Puskás Aréna in Budapest (2029 showpiece).