It is increasingly likely that the European soccer Champions League final will be held in the United States.
European Football Federation (UEFA) president Alexander Ceferin revealed in a broadcast interview that the 2026 Champions League final could be held in the United States at the earliest.
Chairman Ceferin said, “The venue for the Champions League final has been decided by the 2024-2025 season, but after the 2025 final in Munich, discussions are already underway about holding it in a more distant place,” the Guardian and other media reported on the 26th. . Chairman Ceferin did not confirm the hosting of the event in the United States, but put weight on it, describing the US football market as ‘a very important and promising market for the future’.
This season’s Champions League final will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. London will host in 2024 and Munich will host in 2025. Regarding the possibility of hosting the event in the United States, Chairman Ceferin said, “It is possible” and “If that happens, the Champions League final will be held outside Europe for the first time.” Chairman Ceferin said, “More people watched the Euro 2020 finals in the United States than the NBA finals.” At the same time, Chairman Ceferin added, “The problem is the time difference.” If you want to watch the Champions League final in the evening in Europe, you have to play the game before or after 12 noon in LA, USA. American Football Federation CEO JT Batson gave a positive answer, saying, “(If hosting the European Champions League in the United States) helps the growth of the sport, the American Football Federation will be open to hosting the game.”
The European Football Federation sold six-year broadcast rights to the United States in August 2022 for a total of $1.5 billion (about 2.1 trillion won). In the United States, there are many Hispanics (Latin American immigrants who speak Spanish), and soccer popularity is rapidly rising, especially among young people and women. The American professional soccer (MLS) soccer skills have also risen to the level of European mid-level leagues, and the scale of marketing is no less than that of the five major European leagues. In addition, the 2026 World Cup soccer tournament will also be held in the United States. The World Cup begins on June 11 of that year. The European Champions League final is usually held in late May or early June. If the Champions League final takes place right before the World Cup, it is sure to attract a lot of attention from football fans around the world. Most of the players who play in the European Champions League final are likely to be included in the national team. There is no obstacle for them to join the U.S. national team training right after the final. 토스카지노
Meanwhile. Regarding the astronomical increase in operating costs for European professional football teams, Chairman Ceferin said, “We are already discussing with football clubs and European football organizations how to introduce a salary cap.” Personally, I think a salary cap should be introduced as soon as possible.” He added, “The introduction of the salary cap is not for the management of the football team, but for the value of football itself.” European soccer is gaining great popularity around the world, centered on Europe, but it is seriously concerned that the league may be difficult to maintain due to its unsustainability if the cost is excessive.