NYON: Atletico Madrid’s new Wanda Metropolitano Stadium will stage the 2019 Champions League final, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin announced after an executive committee meeting on Wednesday.

Madrid was chosen ahead of Azerbaijani capital Baku, the only other candidate to stage the match and its Olympic Stadium was awarded the Europa League final the same season as a consolation for missing out on the main event.

Backed by Chinese conglomerate Wanda, who bought a 20 percent stake in Atletico in 2015, the club opened the 310 million-euro ($370 million) Wanda Metropolitano for the first time on Saturday as Atletico beat Malaga 1-0 in La Liga.

According to a report from Spanish sports daily Marca, Madrid’s hotel capacity and that of the nearby Barajas international airport swung the decision in Madrid’s favour.

“Everyone from the world of football will look towards our new stadium in the 2019 Champions League final,” Atletico, who lost the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals against city rivals Real Madrid, said in a statement.

“The Metropolitan Wanda has been built to meet the highest standards of comfort and security with the aim of offering the best experience for all its visitors.”

Baku’s Europa League duty will come one year before the 70,000-seat stadium hosts four games, including a quarter-final match, at the Euro 2020.

In a seven-city contest, the 2019 Super Cup between the Champions League and Europa League winners was awarded to Besiktas’ Vodafone Park in Istanbul. It was a losing bidder for the Europa League rights.

Budapest will host the women’s Champions League final. UEFA has returned to competitive bid contests after years of awarding finals to favoured cities.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2017