Rome has been chosen to host the 2009 Champions League final, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced. The 80,000-seater Stadio Olimpico will be the venue for the match, the culmination of the largest football tournament in Europe. Rome has hosted the Champions League finals on three previous occasions, with the UKs Liverpool FC taking the cup in 1977 and 1984 and Juventus winning in 1996.

It is great news for the city, Romes mayor Walter Veltroni said, commenting that with the upcoming swimming world cup also to be held in the capital in 2009 Rome now holds great prestige as a location for international sporting events.

The government will also be discussing plans for Rome to make a bid for the 2016 summer Olympics after Milan withdrew its candidacy in July. The deadline for bids to be submitted to the International Olympics Committee is summer 2007, and the location of the 2016 games will be chosen in 2009.