CARDIFF’S Millennium Stadium will host the 2017 Champions League final, UEFA has confirmed.

The match will be played at Cardiff’s 74,154 national stadium on Saturday, June 3, 2017.

It was also confirmed that the 2017 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final will be played at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday 1st June, 2017

Speaking about today’s decision, Trefor Lloyd Hughes, President of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) said: “The FAW is grateful to UEFA’s Executive Committee for giving the FAW and Wales the opportunity to stage one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Welsh football is certainly on the up and we look forward to working closely with UEFA and all of our stakeholders over the next two years to deliver two memorable finals.”

Jonathan Ford, Chief Executive of the FAW added: “Staging major football finals is one of the objectives contained within the FAW’s Strategic Plan - we believe that staging both the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final and 2017 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final will have a positive and long-lasting effect on Welsh football.

Today’s announcement is the culmination of two years’ of hard work and I’d like to thank all those who’ve helped the FAW fulfil its ambition of staging a UEFA Champions League Final.”

Welsh International and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale added: “These are exciting times for Welsh football. It feels like the whole country is behind us as we attempt to reach next year’s UEFA EURO 2016 finals in France.

“I know how passionate the Welsh football fans are so it’s great the UEFA Champions League Final is coming to my home city of Cardiff. I loved playing in the UEFA Super Cup last year and it would be fantastic to be involved in front of a packed crowd at such an iconic stadium in 2017.”

Fellow Welsh international and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey said: “What a season it has been for Wales and Welsh football. What with last year’s UEFA Super Cup, the unforgettable support and atmosphere at our recent match against Belgium, Wales topping their UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying group and now this wonderful news.

The news of Wales staging the final comes after it lost out to Scotland and England for a chance to stage European Championship matches in 2020.

UEFA had previously explained that Wales didn’t meet the criteria to stage such a final, but an agreement with Bristol airport and hotel facilities outside of Cardiff, such as Newport’s Celtic Manor, are understood to have answered previous objections to Wales staging a showpiece game.

The Champions League is the most watched club sport event in the world, with viewing figures far surpassing even the Super Bowl.