UEFA has denied reports that it could move the 2023 Champions League final away from Istanbul over fears of political instability.
Turkey will hold its presidential election on Sunday, with a runoff to follow on May 28 if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote.
There are fears of unrest in the country should incumbent president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lose to challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, which led to reports this week that UEFA had reached out to officials in Lisbon over the possibility of hosting the final.
“Following some inaccurate and unfounded media reports, UEFA would like to clarify the position on the 2023 Champions League final,” the statement said. “The 2023 UEFA Champions League final will take place in Istanbul as scheduled, on 10 June 2023. UEFA has no discussions to the contrary with any political institutions, governments or national football associations.”
The winner between Real Madrid and Manchester City is set to face the winner of the tie between AC Milan and Inter at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10.
UEFA will be under greater pressure than usual to ensure fan safety at this year’s final after a disastrous event last year in Paris, which an independent report said “almost turned into a mass fatality catastrophe.”
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