The UEFA Champions final was initially supposed to occur in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in a couple of months. However, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s governing body decided to pull the plug on the event being held in the Eastern European nation.
Once UEFA decided that the Russian city wouldn’t host, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was on standby as a possible venue to host the final. However, it eventually went to the Stade de France, with the Champions League final returning to Paris for the first time since 2006.
Finance guru Kieran Maguire spoke with Football Insider, stating that Tottenham had missed a “serious” revenue-generating event by missing out on hosting the Champions League final.
“You would normally charge a hosting fee, which is a flat fee,” Maguire said. “With the prestige of the Champions League final, it’s capable of generating serious revenue. They would also make money on the catering on the day. On a normal home match, they aim to make £800,000 from catering receipts.”
“They are incredibly efficient in the range and speed of service. For a Champions League final, that would only increase. If they were going to choose a stadium in the UK, you’re looking at Wembley, the London Stadium, or Spurs’ stadium. I think Spurs have got the edge over the likes of the Emirates in London.”
Since its opening in 2019, the stadium has hosted blockbuster heavyweight boxing clashes, and NFL matches as Tottenham hopes to squeeze as much revenue as possible from the venue.
As a result, Maguire asserts that the north London club could have boosted income at the 63,000-seater stadium even further with the Champions League final match.