UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin discloses plans for a Champions League final in the US

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says they have discussed playing the Champions League final in the United States.

The governing body wants to exploit football’s growing popularity in the US. Ceferin described the country as a promising market for the future.

However, the 55-year-old previously denied the existence of these conversations in September 2022, claiming there were no talks to host a Champions League final outside Europe.

The next three finals will be in Istanbul, London and Munich. There is no venue confirmed for the 2026 Champions League final.

When asked about the possibility of staging a Champions League final in the US, Ceferin insisted it was possible.

“Football is extremely popular in [the] United States these days,” (via the Guardian). “Americans are willing to pay for the best and nothing for the less.

“They will follow European football as basketball lovers in Europe follow NBA. It’s a very important promising market for the future.

“The thing is that we are selling rights very well. Sponsorship is so-so for now from the US, but here [in the US] commercialisation is completely different than in Europe.

“They [Americans] are much more talented for that than us [Europeans].”

Ceferin explained what drew his attention to the US market. He compared the numbers to the more popular sports in the US such as basketball.

He said that despite only eight million people watching the 2020 European Championship final between England and Italy, there is a growing taste for football consumption.

Ceferin noted that the numbers for the tournament were better than the NBA finals, but acknowledged that the time difference would constitute a problem.