UEFA trophy presentations to be made on the pitch

The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Europa League trophies will be presented to the winning captains on the pitch this year, following a decision by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.

The trophies will be presented on the field to the winning captains by the UEFA President after the UEFA Europa League final at Stockholm’s Friends Arena on 24 May, the UEFA Women’s Champions League final at the Cardiff City Stadium on 1 June and the UEFA Champions League decider at the National Stadium of Wales on 3 June. Purpose-built stages have been produced for these venues, and assembling them will take less than five minutes.

The return to on-pitch presentations will give all fans in the stadiums a better view of the trophy lifts, while the television audience will also get clearer pictures. Moving the presentation onto the field of play also has a symbolic meaning according to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.

“The pitch is the players’ stage and it is only fitting that their achievements are celebrated there,” said Mr Čeferin. “It also makes sense that the officials should come down from the stands to the players – to their arena – and pay tribute to them in presenting the trophy and medals on the playing surface.

“Players will also be able to celebrate with their team-mates on the pitch in full view of the fans without the interruption of having to climb up to the stands. Furthermore, all supporters will get a perfect view of the trophy lift wherever they are seated in the stadium.”

Trophy presentations on the pitch will now be standard practice across all UEFA club and national-team competitions.