Arsenal supporters were waiting on approval on 18 May for a planned Champions League final screening at the Emirates Stadium that is expected to bring about 37,000 fans through the gates. Sales for the event were expected to begin later on 18 May or on 19 May, once the club gets the final sign-off from the relevant authorities, according to the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust.
The screening is tied to Arsenal’s final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, a match that has left many fans without one of UEFA’s limited allocations for the trip to Hungary. The club’s plan would give those supporters a place to watch the final together at home, in what could become one of the biggest fan events the Emirates has hosted outside an actual matchday.
Priority is expected to go first to season ticket holders who were unsuccessful in getting tickets for Budapest, along with Junior Gunners members. Silver members are expected to follow before any remaining allocation is offered to Red members. Supporters were urged not to buy unless they are sure they can attend, because there will be no ticket transfer option for the screening.
The scale of the event underlines how much weight sits on this final for Arsenal. The club is preparing for its first Champions League final since 2006, and interest in an Emirates screening has grown as the match in Budapest has moved from a distant date on the calendar to a fixed appointment with the club’s recent history.
What remains is the formal clearance and the start of sales. If approval arrives as expected, Arsenal’s next step will be to turn the stadium into a shared viewing point for thousands of supporters who missed out on the trip to Hungary, and to do it before the final whistle is even kicked in Budapest.
