UEFA Finals To Hold In Porto Instead Of Istanbul

European soccer’s governing body will take its showcase Champions League Final game to Porto, Portugal and Istanbul Turkey, as earlier slated.

Istanbul is in lockdown and England wouldn’t bend on travel restrictions.

This month’s all-English Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea will be played in Porto, Portugal, a shift of one of soccer’s showcase events to one of few countries where Britons can travel without restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, cleared the last hurdles to shifting the game from its scheduled site in Turkey on Wednesday. An announcement of the move is set for Thursday.

UEFA said “The decision to move the final from Istanbul, which recently re-entered a virus-related lockdown, came after discussions between European soccer leaders and British government officials, who had been seeking to bring the game to London.

“When the sides failed to reach an agreement that would have allowed the teams and their domestic fans to avoid international travel, Portugal was chosen as the site of the game for the second year in a row.