Advertisement
bidding process

Belfast's Windsor Park in the running to host Uefa Super Cup

The Irish FA has lodged a bid to stage the 2021 edition of the fixture between the Champions League and Europa League winners.

BELFAST’S REDEVELOPED WINDSOR Park is one of four venues in the running to host the 2021 Uefa Super Cup. 

The Irish Football Association has sent a declaration of interest to Uefa and will now have until February 2019 to submit its final bid dossier. 

A view of Windsor Park before the game Northern Ireland's Windsor Park. Presseye / William Cherry/INPHO Presseye / William Cherry/INPHO / William Cherry/INPHO

Kharkiv, Minsk and Helsinki are the other three cities bidding to stage the annual fixture between the reigning Champions League and Europa League winners. 

The £28.5 million redevelopment of Windsor Park was completed in October 2016 and the stadium’s upgrade to a 18,500-seater venue sees it meet Uefa capacity and facility standards. 

Home to Northern Ireland, and owned by Linfield, Windsor Park previously bid for the 2019 and 2020 Super Cup finals but lost out to Istanbul’s Vodafone Arena and the Estádio do Dragao in Porto respectively. 

The Irish FA’s renewed bid to bring the fixture to Belfast comes ahead of an expected joint-bid with the Football Association of Ireland to host the U21 European Championships in 2021 or 2023.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have launched a bid to host the Champions League final in 2021.

Bayern last held the final in 2012 and reached the showpiece only to be beaten by Premier League side Chelsea, who won following a penalty shoot-out.

“I can confirm that Bayern, together with the city of Munich, will officially apply to host the 2021 Champions League final at the Allianz Arena,” said Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Despite the disappointment of the defeat to Chelsea in 2012, we still look back fondly on the ‘Finale dahoam’ [final at home]. We would be very grateful if Uefa gave us the opportunity to again welcome the football world to Munich.

Krestovsky Stadium, the home of Russian club Zenit, is the only other contender to host the 2021 Champions League final, Uefa confirmed.

Seville, Vienna and Tbilisi are the three cities bidding to be hosts for the Europa League final in 2021, while Gothenburg and Prague are hoping to be selected for the Women’s Champions League final.

Member associations have until 15 February to submit their final bids, before the Uefa executive committee will select the successful host nations at a meeting which is scheduled to take place in May or June 2019.

Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:

Your Voice
Readers Comments
3
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel