UEFA has announced a plan to reimburse thousands of fans who attended the recent Champions League final in Paris. Real Madrid won the European Cup by defeating Liverpool in a match held on May 29, 2022, in Saint-Denis. The decision, approved by the UEFA executive committee chaired by Aleksander Ceferin, aims to support Liverpool supporters while acknowledging the difficulties many attendees faced. The outcome demonstrates the governing body’s commitment to fans who travelled to back their teams.
Refunds will be available to all supporters with tickets for gates A, B, C, X, Y and Z, and will cover those who encountered significant access problems. In addition, refunds will be issued to anyone who could not enter the stadium before 21:00 CET, based on access-control data, or who was unable to enter for any reason. Finally, UEFA will reimburse all fans who bought accessibility tickets with their companions. [citation: UEFA press release, March 7, 2023]
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Under these guidelines, all Liverpool supporters who held tickets (19,618) are eligible for refunds, with the English club responsible for distributing the funds. For Real Madrid fans, refunds are processed through the club’s own channels or UEFA customer service, depending on how the tickets were acquired. The same criteria apply to supporters who purchased tickets directly from UEFA rather than through a club. [citation: UEFA refund policy overview]
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In practice, any attendee who could not reach the match at the scheduled time, including cases where the match was postponed, qualifies for a refund of their ticket. This policy reflects UEFA’s effort to address the disruption and restore trust among fans who faced entry barriers on the day of the final.
UEFA has outlined its special reimbursement plan for fans affected by the 2022 Champions League Final in Paris. The refunds target supporters who bought tickets and faced the most severe access difficulties at the stadium. [citation: UEFA statements on refunds]
The announcement followed reports of disruptions, quarrels, and incidents that hindered normal stadium access in Saint-Denis shortly before kickoff. The organizing bodies have acknowledged the need to review safety and logistics to prevent a recurrence. Both clubs have submitted formal complaints and sought clarification from UEFA and French authorities. Several fans reported incidents of theft and aggression, prompting UEFA to remind affected individuals that complaints can be filed through appropriate channels with the French authorities. [citation: incident report summary]
Earlier, an independent report identified UEFA as the rights holder for the final and indicated responsibility for organizational challenges surrounding the event. The report emphasized that the high number of unauthorized entries did not fully explain the chaos. The assessment has sparked ongoing conversations about accountability and future improvements in event management. [citation: independent report excerpt]