2017 UEFA Champions League final: Cardiff

The venue for the 2017 UEFA Champions League final, scheduled for Saturday 3 June 2017, was confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee on 30 June 2015.

National Stadium of Wales
UEFA capacity: 74,500
Tenants: Wales, Wales rugby
Opened: June 1999

• Construction on the venue, located on the site of the old National Stadium, began in 1997. Despite only being three-quarters complete, the arena hosted its first match in June 1999, the Welsh rugby side recording their maiden victory against South Africa.

• Played host to the Welsh national football team for the first time on 29 March 2000. Jari Litmanen scored the stadium's first international goal in a 2-1 triumph for Finland.

• Hosted the FA Cup final for a six-year spell from 2001 to 2006 with Wembley undergoing redevelopment. Arsenal FC lifted the trophy three times in the stadium and Liverpool FC twice.

• Also staged the finals of other English cup competition's during Wembley's facelift and became notorious for an away-team curse. The first 11 major cup finals were all won by the side occupying the home dressing room.

• The stadium is equipped with a retractable roof, comprising two sliding 400 tonne sections which take 20 minutes to open or close. It is the second largest covered stadium in the world, behind Cowboys Stadium, Texas, United States.

• The playing surface is made up of 7,412 squares of turf which can be removed and stored when events such as concerts take place.