Topic: Why hasn't Anfield ever hosted Europa League/UEFA Cup finals?

[Messiah]

I'd imagine the capacity has always been too low to host the European Cup final but what has stopped us from hosting the Europa League?

13-14: Juventus Stadium - 41k
12-13: Amsterdam Arena - 53k
11-12: Arena Națională - 55k
10-11: Aviva Stadium - 51k
09-10: Imtech Arena - 57k
08-09: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium - 50k
07-08: City of Manchester Stadium - 45k
06-07: Hampden Park - 52k
05-06: Philips Stadion - 35k
04-05: Estadio Jose Alvalade - 50k
03-04: Ullevi - 43k

Surely Anfield could've hosted one of those or previous ones. Any specific reasons why UEFA doesn't consider us?

[TepidT2O]

Pitch is too small

[Kopite B205]

Platini.

Close thread.

[Welshred]

Pitch is too small

It's this. I think it's not long enough? Also the stands aren't back the required distance for UEFA.

[Barneylfc∗]

It's this. I think it's not long enough? Also the stands aren't back the required distance for UEFA.

Hence the reason the first few rows of seats are free on European games

[RedSince86]

Platini.

Close thread.

this

[timmyonions]

Maybe it's the condition of the surrounding area,the boarded up houses etc,that dosen't tickle their fancy.Along with the above reasons.

[aggerdid]

Anfields only viewed as a 4 star stadium by uefa i think

[CraigDS]

Maybe it's the condition of the surrounding area,the boarded up houses etc,that dosen't tickle their fancy.Along with the above reasons.

It's got nothing to do with it.

[Peter McGurk]

Anfield is not classified as suitable for a final because it doesn't comply with the requirements of UEFA guidelines in a number of ways including pitch size, capacity and media facilities.

All of which can be fixed but is it worth it for a once in a blue moon game?

[jaygraham]

To host a final the stadium has to be a five star rated stadium.

This includes dressing rooms, hospitality and media facilities.

Our stadium falls behind in all three - the press room is small for the Premier League, the home dressing room is very small for the standard and we dont have enough hospitality lounges.

We are rated 4 stars though.

[Peter McGurk]

To host a final the stadium has to be a five star rated stadium.

This includes dressing rooms, hospitality and media facilities.

Our stadium falls behind in all three - the press room is small for the Premier League, the home dressing room is very small for the standard and we dont have enough hospitality lounges.

We are rated 4 stars though.

Category 4 is the top rating, which Anfield isn't...

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/uefaorg/Stadium&Security/01/48/48/85/1484885_DOWNLOAD.pdf

[CraigDS]

Category 4 is the top rating, which Anfield isn't...

Correct, we are category 3.

[Broad Spectrum]

Interesting that always wondered myself.

[paul j]

Hence the reason the first few rows of seats are free on European games

old trafford has to leave some seats empty for euro games.

[MerseyMania]

For the rich heritage and iconic club we are, why cant we expand the pitch and make it a big stadium in lines of Bernabu or Camp Nou, SanSiro etc?

[Jonny-B]

For the rich heritage and iconic club we are, why cant we expand the pitch and make it a big stadium in lines of Bernabu or Camp Nou, SanSiro etc?

Money.

[Wabaloolah]

Money.

you'd also lose the intimacy of the ground, the closeness of the crowd to the pitch and some of the atmosphere.  When Anfield is expanded it is vital we hang onto those even when we expand the capacity

[End Product]

old trafford has to leave some seats empty for euro games.

The netted seats at Anfield and OT are due to the uefa advertising boards being taller than league ones and people in those seats have a awful view if sat.

It ain't some rule on stands being a certain distance from the pitch. 

Every days a school day.

[CraigDS]

The netted seats at Anfield and OT are due to the uefa advertising boards being taller than league ones and people in those seats have a awful view if sat.

It ain't some rule on stands being a certain distance from the pitch. 

Every days a school day.

Its nothing to do with the increased size of the boards.

For one you wouldn't need to net off about 6 or 7 rows due to boards a few inches taller, and secondly the same sized boards are along the edge infront of the lower Centenary and they don't net any seats off their. Plus the disabled places are still sat in at the front of the Kop - and have no issue seeing over the increased sized boards.

You should listen better in school!

[oojason]

Anfield is a great ground with tradition, history and known all over the world - if these twats from UEFA make up bureaucratic red-tape as to rule out grounds which aren't up to their standards (or numbers of stars etc) then it's them that are missing out.

[todda]

Correct, we are category 3.

I thought we were Cat 4 and you had to be a Cat 5?

Also the front rows would be lost so we'd lose some capacity.

I wonder if we'll get a final if they end up doing the Anny Rd and we get an upgrade in Cat.

[Laz]

I thought we were Cat 4 and you had to be a Cat 5?

Also the front rows would be lost so we'd lose some capacity.

I wonder if we'll get a final if they end up doing the Anny Rd and we get an upgrade in Cat.

Cat 4 is the highest there is in UEFA. Anfield is UEFA Cat 3. Anfield cannot become Cat 4 unless the Anfield pitch is lengthened. There are no plans to lengthen the pitch as the current plan for the ARE is the keep the lower teir and create a much larger top teir so Anfield will never have a pitch long enough to be a Cat 4 stadium.

[Jonny-B]

Its nothing to do with the increased size of the boards.

For one you wouldn't need to net off about 6 or 7 rows due to boards a few inches taller, and secondly the same sized boards are along the edge infront of the lower Centenary and they don't net any seats off their. Plus the disabled places are still sat in at the front of the Kop - and have no issue seeing over the increased sized boards.

You should listen better in school!

Sources for the advertising boards issue.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=43517354&postcount=14

[CraigDS]

Sources for the advertising boards issue.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=43517354&postcount=14

A source to show what exactly mate?

[Jonny-B]

Cat 4 is the highest there is in UEFA. Anfield is UEFA Cat 3. Anfield cannot become Cat 4 unless the Anfield pitch is lengthened. There are no plans to lengthen the pitch as the current plan for the ARE is the keep the lower teir and create a much larger top teir so Anfield will never have a pitch long enough to be a Cat 4 stadium.

Can they do dispensation for the pitch size?

Cardiff City Stadium hosted the supercup and their pitch size is identical to Anfield. They may have extended it though as they have larger run offs.

[Jonny-B]

A source to show what exactly mate?

3-4 different articles saying that seats were blocked off specifically because of the height of the advertising boards.

[CraigDS]

3-4 different articles saying that seats were blocked off specifically because of the height of the advertising boards.

It's nothing to do with it mate, they really aren't a huge amount higher than standard ones, and even so you wouldn't need to block off 7 due to sight line issues, maybe 3 or 4 max.

I believe the disabled rows are still on the ground level too during these matches, so surely if sight lines were such an issue these wouldn't be able to see anything and wouldn't be there?

[Laz]

Can they do dispensation for the pitch size?

Cardiff City Stadium hosted the supercup and their pitch size is identical to Anfield. They may have extended it though as they have larger run offs.

Cardiff did host the supercup but they are not Cat 4 and traditionally the supercup was never held at a Cat 4 stadium anyway as for years is was held at Stade Louis II stadium in Monaco so I assume UEFA don't demand a Cat 4 stadium for the supercup. But if we want to host the Champion League final, Europa League final World etc then we would need to be Cat 4. So I suppose it is possible we could apply to host the supercup but that would be it.

[Jonny-B]

It's nothing to do with it mate, they really aren't a huge amount higher than standard ones, and even so you wouldn't need to block off 7 due to sight line issues, maybe 3 or 4 max.

I believe the disabled rows are still on the ground level too during these matches, so surely if sight lines were such an issue these wouldn't be able to see anything and wouldn't be there?

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-v-psv-eindhoven-anfield-3472127

Please note that due to an increased press area, seats lost due to higher advertising boards and ticket allocations to UEFA we are unable to guarantee season ticket holders their normal seats used for Premier League fixtures.

How about an official newsletter from the club saying that seats will be lost due to the advertising boards?

[Jonny-B]

Cardiff did host the supercup but they are not Cat 4 and traditionally the supercup was never held at a Cat 4 stadium anyway as for years is was held at Stade Louis II stadium in Monaco so I assume UEFA don't demand a Cat 4 stadium for the supercup. But if we want to host the Champion League final, Europa League final World etc then we would need to be Cat 4. So I suppose it is possible we could apply to host the supercup but that would be it.

Ah of course. I stand corrected on that. I thought we were part of the 2018 WC bid but maybe at the time it was for the Parry Bowl which would have met the requirements.

edit wikipedia suggests otherwise:

In the case of Liverpool, the bid committee determined that the current Anfield stadium would have been, with minor improvements, acceptable for World Cup matches; however, because of Liverpool FC's plans to build a new ground, the committee specified that the new stadium would take the place of Anfield if it were ready in time.[13]

So i'd imagine there is a bit of leeway on pitch size and Fifa.

double edit: Unless that plan was to buldoze the anny road and expand the pitch. lol

[Farman]

Might there be accommodation issues too? Are there enough high-quality hotels in Liverpool to cater for that many visiting fans and the ample-arsed UEFA executives (and their bigwig friends)?

[Rome-77]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-v-psv-eindhoven-anfield-3472127

How about an official newsletter from the club saying that seats will be lost due to the advertising boards?

spot on mate its all to do with the larger advertising boards and keeping fans with banners away from them.

Craig got it wrong again

[Ned Kelly]

Anfield can't host a major european final due to it being shit.

Quite simple really.

[Nessy76]

Might there be accommodation issues too? Are there enough high-quality hotels in Liverpool to cater for that many visiting fans and the ample-arsed UEFA executives (and their bigwig friends)?

Yes. There are dozens of hotels in Liverpool, guessing you haven't been into the city centre in the last six years or so. And Manchester could handle any overflow.

[Rome-77]

Might there be accommodation issues too? Are there enough high-quality hotels in Liverpool to cater for that many visiting fans and the ample-arsed UEFA executives (and their bigwig friends)?

the 3rd most hotels in England,

[Garry_LFC]

Once completed, Anfield will still not qualify as a venue for major Uefa events such as Champions League finals due to the size of the pitch. That would be addressed, however, if the proposed Anfield Road redevelopment went ahead.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/04/liverpool-new-main-stand-anfield-corporate-seats

Size of the pitch the main reason. I'm sure any media or hospitality related reasons etc will be sorted out once the Main Stand is complete. Also not a capacity issue considering the Europa League final this season is being played at a 38,000 capacity stadium.

Hopefully we'll get there in the end to be able to host the Europa final ourselves.

[Nessy76]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/04/liverpool-new-main-stand-anfield-corporate-seats

Size of the pitch the main reason. I'm sure any media or hospitality related reasons etc will be sorted out once the Main Stand is complete. Also not a capacity issue considering the Europa League final this season is being played at a 38,000 capacity stadium.

Hopefully we'll get there in the end to be able to host the Europa final ourselves.

That quote is an interesting one. To adjust the size of the pitch you'd obviously need to move back the front rows of the Anfield Road stand. Suggestions so far have been that the existing lower tier would be retained, but that would leave the first row quite high in relation to the pitch, wouldn't it?

[Garry_LFC]

That quote is an interesting one. To adjust the size of the pitch you'd obviously need to move back the front rows of the Anfield Road stand. Suggestions so far have been that the existing lower tier would be retained, but that would leave the first row quite high in relation to the pitch, wouldn't it?

Depends how many rows that'd have to take out. It's a strange one sitting on row 1 behind the goal, it looks like you're below pitch level. Anything up to, say, 5 wouldn't be too bad in my opinion.

[CraigDS]

That quote is an interesting one. To adjust the size of the pitch you'd obviously need to move back the front rows of the Anfield Road stand. Suggestions so far have been that the existing lower tier would be retained, but that would leave the first row quite high in relation to the pitch, wouldn't it?

The quote was discussed a fair bit on here when it originally came out and was pretty much determined they were incorrect.

No one else has really said its a likely scenario and it would involve work to more than just the Anny Rd end to make it work.

It's possible of course, but unlikely.