Champions League Final Officially Moved From Instanbul To Porto

JAKARTA - The Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 30, was moved from Istanbul to Porto to allow English supporters to travel under COVID-19 restriction rules, European soccer body UEFA said.

The final was originally due to be held at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium, but Turkey last week was on the 'red list' of British travel so it could not be attended by supporters from the club's home country.

However, the venue has been officially moved to FC Porto's Estadio do Dragao in Portugal.

UEFA said both clubs would receive 6,000 tickets to be sold from today. However, the number of spectators allowed to watch the match has not been confirmed.

UEFA had previously wanted to move the final to London's Wembley Stadium, but it was canceled due to the difficulty of getting an exception for visiting delegates, broadcasters, and sponsors to England.

"I think we can all agree that we hope never to experience the year as we have just experienced", UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told Reuters on Thursday, May 13.

"Fans have to suffer more than twelve months without the ability to see their team in person, and reaching the Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football".

"Eliminating the opportunity for supporters to watch the game live is not an option, and I am pleased that this compromise has reached an agreement", he added.

Portugal is on the Uk government's "green list" from 17 May, meaning Manchester City and Chelsea fans from England can come to Portugal to watch the final.

The country is in the final phase of easing the lockdown and hopes to lift travel restrictions from May 17.