Four-day festival to transform London ahead of Champions League final
Sadiq Khan has labelled London the “sporting capital of the world” as he announced a four-day festival to run alongside the Champions League final.
The Uefa Champions League Festival will transform London as it prepares to host European football’s biggest game for a record eighth time.
Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid will face off at Wembley on June 1, with the four-day family-friendly event taking place across five central London locations between May 30 and June 2.
Festivities will kick off in Trafalgar Square as the Mayor welcomes the Uefa Champions League trophy to the capital. The square will then become a hub of family activities culminating in a DJ set by dance group Faithless.
This will be followed with an exclusive headline performance by Hackney’s Rudimental at the square on Friday night. The show will be powered by the movement of dancing fans through a ‘kinetic dancefloor’.
The festival will also be at Regent Street on Thursday and Friday, with a two-day takeover seeing the thoroughfare from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus pedestrianised. Fans will have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities, including penalty shootout challenges.
A legends’ tournament will see Champions League royalty showcase their skills in a five-a-side tournament at Somerset House on Friday and Saturday. The line-up is yet to be revealed, but organisers say it will bring together legends from around the world.
The Uefa Champions Pitch will also host community groups and schools from across London, offering them an opportunity to join in the celebrations.
Visitors to Potters Fields Park, next to Tower Bridge, will also be greeted by a large inflatable Champions League trophy, with interactive installations and a range of activities continuing along the South Bank.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “London is the sporting capital of the world and so it’s fitting that we are hosting the Uefa Champions League final.
“I am proud that Europe’s biggest match will take place in London and delighted that thousands of Londoners and visitors will be able to experience the thrill of this special competition through the Uefa Champions Festival.
“This is the start of an incredible sporting summer for London and a key part of our work to build a better London for everyone.”
Theodore Theodoridis, Uefa general secretary, said: “We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Uefa Champions Festival, right in the heart of central London, as we celebrate the end of another fantastic football season and crown the next Uefa Champions League winner.
“Festivalgoers will enjoy a wide array of family-friendly entertainment, creating memories that will last a lifetime ahead of what is sure to be another epic encounter at the iconic Wembley Stadium.”
Sports minister Stuart Andrew said: “The Uefa Champions League final is a special moment in the sporting calendar, and I am delighted Wembley is playing host to Europe’s premier club football teams.
“The UK has a brilliant track record of hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting competitions, and the Champions Festival will see London coming alive for a four-day, family-friendly festival of fun.”
The Metropolitan Police have urged visitors to central London throughout the week to plan ahead and Transport for London has advised that public transport will likely be very busy on June 1, particularly the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines.
