Will UEFA Champions League final move? Turkey election unrest raises questions

UEFA has prepared for contingencies if political unrest following the Turkish election prompts the need to relocate the Champions League final from Istanbul. 

Although UEFA has declared that the 2023 final will occur in Istanbul, there are worries about the possibility of conflict, leading to the deployment of troops shortly before the major sporting event. Additionally, UEFA has learned from recent experiences, having moved the last three finals from their initial locations at short notice. 

Due to COVID, the 2020 final was relocated to Lisbon and the 2021 event to Porto after twice being moved from Istanbul.

The upcoming election on May 14, a month before the June 10 Champions League final, is expected to be closely contested and could lead to unrest. As a result, UEFA would consider relocating the match if necessary, given the political situation. 

The organisation is better prepared for such a situation after having to adjust plans for the last three seasons, due to COVID and political issues. For instance, the 2021 final was supposed to take place in Istanbul but was moved to Porto due to COVID-related concerns. 

The previous year's final was also moved from Istanbul to Lisbon due to the pandemic. If the situation in Istanbul deteriorates, UEFA is unlikely to open a bidding process, given the proximity to the final. 

Meanwhile, the quarter-final second legs of the UEFA Champions League are scheduled to take place this week on Tuesday and Wednesday.