UEFA Champions Festival kicks off Thursday
Saturday, June 3, 2023
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UEFA Champions League and Turkish football legends, world-renowned music artists, and exciting giveaways await football fans.
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Yenikapı, Etkinlik Alanı will be filled with football-related entertainment, live music, giveaways and much more when the UEFA Champions Festival kicks off on Thursday 8 June ahead of the 2023 UEFA Champions League final between Manchester City and Internazionale Milano at Atatürk Olympic Stadium on Saturday 10 June.
UEFA Champions Festival highlights
Thursday 8 June (11:00-23:00)
• Join Mehmet Büyükekşi, the president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and former captain of the Turkish national team Hamit Altintop at the official opening of the festival with the UEFA Champions League trophy at 11:00.
• Turkish music artists Selin and the legendary Sertab Erener perform in the evening the main stage.
Friday 9 June (11:00-23:00)
• Three teams comprised of UEFA Champions League legends including Luís Figo, Roberto Carlos, Clarence Seedorf, Kaká, Patrick Vieira and more, and a team of Turkish legends captained by Hamit Altintop battle it out on the UEFA Champions Pitch at the Ultimate Champions Tournament beginning at 15:00.
• International DJ Lost Frequencies, hosted by Go Türkiye, closes out the day with an electrifying performance on the main stage with additional performances by Emiran, Chris Luno B2B Ceaus and Guillaume de Kadebostany.
Saturday 10 June (11:00-19:00)
• Fans can watch the UEFA Champions League trophy depart for Atatürk Olympic Stadium at the FedEx Trophy Departure at 15:00.
• Hey! Douglas and other exclusive artists perform on the main stage in the afternoon.
Sunday 11 June (11:00-22:00)
• An earthquake benefit concert on the main stage hosted by Ferman Akgül featuring Can Şengün Orchestra & Friends closes the festival.
Partner activations
adidas: Visit the giant adidas UCL Pro Ball Istanbul, which celebrates the host city and its illustrious football legacy, featuring a remarkable highlight from the competition's history: the unforgettable 2005 UEFA Champions League final.
Expedia Live: Step inside and enjoy a multi-sensory experience as Expedia Live takes fans on a journey through four iconic UEFA Champions League finals, and their host cities, to showcase exactly why ‘Nothing beats being there’. There will also be a garden area as well as a terrace for fans to take in the festival and main stage. Fans will also have the chance to win tickets to the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final in London.
Heineken: Enjoy ice-cold beverages at the Heineken® Star Bar (please note that you must be of legal drinking age to gain entry to the Heineken® area).
PepsiCo: Visitors can cool down at the Pepsi Stand Fans grabbing an ice cold Pepsi Cola. PepsiCo is partnering with TURN to use 48,000 TURN smart reusable cups at the UEFA Champions Festival sampling stands.
Mastercard: Using cutting-edge AR technology, Mastercard’s 'magic mirror' activation will place fans on the pitch inside the penalty arc aiming virtual balls at targets inside the goal for the chance to win a Mastercard prize.
PlayStation: Fans will have the chance to test their EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 skills on PlayStation®5 including against an eChampions League professional gamer.
socios.com: Fans visiting the Fan Booth will be rewarded with a free UCL add-on Fan Token and learn about the exclusive benefits, VIP accesses and prizes fan token holders can get hold of. Visitors can take on the Header Challenge or test their power and precision with Shot Radar.
Topps: Fans can create their own over dimensional Topps UEFA Champions League card of themselves and play at one of the football tables all while having the chance to win Topps prizes. Topps will also have a spinning wheel for give aways and box breakings of Topps Hobby Products on the main stage.
Turkish Airlines: Activations include mini soccer, a Miles & Smiles vending machine with the chance to collect Miles & Smiles rewards, giant table football, virtual penalty kicks, photo shoot, a flight simulator and a guessing game.
The UEFA Champions League Festival will also feature:
• Karnaval Radio DJs and presenters
• Football freestylers showcasing their talents
• Special friendly matches, tournaments and the Gatorade 5v5 global finals on the UEFA Champions Pitch
• Skills challenges and inflatable football activities
• A children’s zone
• Photo opportunities with the UEFA Champions League trophy
• Incredible prizes and UEFA Champions League souvenirs for the entire family up for grabs
• The UEFA Champions League Final Official Shop
The festival is open to all ages and free to attend, including visitors without a match ticket. Children below the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult to gain entry.
Visitors are encouraged to download the UEFA Champions League App, featuring the full festival programme, an interactive map and daily live updates. Further information about the festival, including directions to Yenikapı, Etkinlik Alanı festival park is available here.
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Note to media
Media representatives are welcome to attend and can apply for accreditation by sending an email to championsfestival2023@gmail.com.
There will be a dedicated working area for accredited media at the festival. Kindly note that there will be no bag deposit services or lockers available on site, all bag sizes are allowed following a security check.