Cardiff 2017 > Local Knowhow > FAQ's

When is the UEFA Champions League Final taking place?

The 2017 UEFA Champions League Final will take place at 19.45 (local time) on Saturday, 3 June at the National Stadium of Wales, in Cardiff (as the Principality Stadium is renamed for this event only). A pre-match ceremony will start from 19.30 (local time).

Cardiff will also host the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 1 June at 19.45 kick (local time). A pre-match ceremony will start from 19.30 (local time).

Who is responsible for organising the event?

The Football Association of Wales are the lead organisers, working closely with UEFA, Cardiff Council, the Welsh Government, South Wales Police, Principality Stadium, Cardiff City Stadium and several other bodies including transport companies.

What is the scale of the event?

This is the largest sporting event in the world in 2017. It is a major coup for Cardiff and Wales to host such a prestigious event, and all involved in the organisation are determined to ensure it is a success.We are anticipating over 170,000 in Cardiff on June 3 and 200,000 visiting the UEFA Champions Festival 1 – 4 June.

Is Cardiff big enough to host an event of this magnitude?

Yes. The Welsh capital has a strong track record of hosting major events, and generating an incredible atmosphere through its compact city centre with the landmark stadium right at its heart.

Will there be enough hotel rooms for all the visitors?

Cardiff is a relatively compact city, with limited hotel bed space, to be hosting an event as large as this. Cardiff hotels, and those throughout south Wales, are expected to be at capacity. 

Will there be a fanzone, as with the Euros and Rugby World Cup?

The UEFA Champions Festival will be the official fanzone throughout the four-day period of the event. However, as per previous Finals, there will be no live public screening of the Men’s Final on Saturday 3 June.

While the match will not be screened publicly, the UEFA Champions Festival has all the atmosphere offered in a fanzone and is being held at Cardiff Bay from 1 - 4 June.  The UEFA Champions League trophy will be here Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 June.

Will there be any UEFA activities in Bute Park?

Coopers Field, Bute Park will be hosting a large hospitality village (UEFA Champions Village). There will also be an additional hospitality village in Cardiff Castle (UEFA Football Village) and this will be built from a compound to allow set up. The UEFA Football village will be in place at the rear of the Castle for a shorter amount of time.

Pontcanna Fields will also be hosting ‘Camp Cardiff’, which will be a temporary camp site for 5,000 visiting fans. This will be open from 31 May – 5 June. Further information on the impact to Bute Park can be found at www.bute-park.com

Will there be any effect on the normal operation of business within Cardiff Bay?

There will be some disruption to the roads in Cardiff Bay area during the period of the UEFA Champions Festival (1 – 4 June), and fuller road closures in the City Centre on Saturday June 3. While these are in place to ensure a safe and secure experience for all, there will inevitably be some disruption to your usual journey. More information on road closures can be found here. So ensure you plan ahead.

What roads are going to be closed and how long will they be closed?

The road closures needed around the City will be more extensive and longer lasting, than for other sporting events, and security measures may necessitate lane closures on some city centre routes. 

There will be road closures and diversions in the city centre on Saturday 3 June and around Cardiff Bay and Castle St from 1 – 4 June.

There will also be lane restrictions and possible road closures in the City as the various installations are built before the event and when they are taken down afterwards

Information and maps on the extent of the road closures within the City and dates, and when can be found at Cardiff2017.Wales/travel

How do I access my business and property with these closures?

The City of Cardiff Council has visited all businesses in the city centre and Cardiff Bay which are affected by the security arrangements for the Champions League Final weekend. Specific times have been given to these businesses to ensure they are able to receive deliveries.

Those that live locally are strongly advised to cycle or walk into the city centre or use public transport. The Authorities are ensuring that pedestrian and cycling access is maintained as much as possible.

The exceptions are, pedestrian access will not be allowed on Castle Street between 17.45 and 21.45 on 3 June. Also, Westgate Street will be closed to all those that do not have tickets between the same period, but resident access to Westgate Street will be maintained during this time.

Where do I park my car with the road closures and closed car parks?

All those visiting the city centre during the UEFA Champions League Weekend are strongly advised to walk or cycle into the city, if they live locally or use public transport.

There will be no vehicle access allowed in certain inner city areas based on security grounds.

The City of Cardiff Council is working on securing parking for residents that live in the inner security zone, where vehicle access will not be permitted by the South Wales Police. This relates to residents living on Greyfriers Road, Westgate Street, St Mary’s Street and Churchill Way. Further information will be provided to residents living in these areas, giving details on the displacement parking that will be available.

Is there a plan place to manage the travel arrangements?

15,000 more passenger capacity on rail journeys post-match than was achieved at the Rugby World Cup in 2015.  There will be 60,000 post-match rail journeys – including 21 High Speed Train services to London

22,500 Air Charter services working closely with the airports in Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff supported by transfer coaches and two large staging facilities in Cardiff. Making this the largest air traffic control operation in Europe on 3 June

New bespoke park and ride schemes will be made available including 7,500 strategic Park and Ride Spaces from Llanwern in Newport and Cardiff East (Pentwyn) on the approach to Cardiff. There will also be 5,000 additional Park and Walk spaces in the Cardiff Bay area supporting access to the Champions Festival

A national coach network of 1,250 vehicles (10% of the UK’s available coach market), supported by National Express and others delivering direct coach routes from towns and cities across Wales and England as well as Airport transfers

Alongside this there is a transport communications campaign to inform local residents on how to plan ahead. We are also creating a bespoke travel app for visitors to plan their journey making informed travel choices and enabling connection with the audience through real time updates. More information on this can be found at Cardiff2017.Wales/travel

What safety and security measures will be in place?

This will be one of the largest security operations ever undertaken in the Welsh capital with extra officers and staff from all over the country arriving in the area to help police the event. South Wales Police and our partners are planning to ensure the event is safe and that any potential disruption to you is minimised.

What can you expect…

  • You can expect to see more police officers and activity in your area providing security around the time of the Finals. Normal policing will be maintained and Neighbourhood Officers will continue their daily duties.
  • It is anticipated that any impact will be potentially focused around the city centre and Cardiff Bay. There will also be some impact on the main routes into the City, particularly the M4.
  • All emergency services will continue to operate throughout the event. If you have any concerns, talk to your local Officer or call 101 for non-emergencies. In the event of an emergency, always call 999.

What about access to the River Taff and Bay?

As part of the security measures in place for the UEFA Champions League finals restrictions will be placed on water travel along the River Taff and inside the Bay area. There has been extensive consultation with all those impacted by these changes which are considered appropriate given the scope of the event.