• The Spanish Government has given official approval for Barcelona to host the 2028-29 Champions League final
• The Catalan club last staged the final in 1999 when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich
• Barcelona must submit their official bid to UEFA before the 10th of June deadline
• The club hopes the event will bring much-needed revenue to help solve financial problems
• Wembley Stadium in London is expected to compete against Barcelona for the hosting rights

Barcelona has moved one step closer to bringing the Champions League final back to Catalonia. The Spanish Government has officially backed the club’s plan to host the 2028-29 final at Spotify Camp Nou.

The club received approval from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) several weeks ago. Now, with government support secured, Barcelona can submit their bid to UEFA. They must do this before the 10th of June deadline.

It has been 27 years since the stadium last hosted European football’s biggest match. In 1999, Manchester United scored two late goals to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a dramatic final. Since then, the venue has changed its name from the Nou Camp to Spotify Camp Nou.

Hosting the final would bring huge financial benefits to Barcelona. The club has faced serious money problems in recent years. The income from hosting the final would help ease these difficulties.

The timing works well with the stadium’s renovation. The Espai Barca project should finish before the 2028-29 season. Workers will complete the third tier within the next year. They will then install the new roof, which should be ready by summer 2028.

Spain is already set to host the 2026-27 final at Atletico Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. If Barcelona wins this bid, Spain will host two finals in three years.

UEFA will announce the winning bid in September. However, Barcelona faces strong competition. Wembley Stadium in London is also expected to bid for the same final.

• The regular season for the Championship, League One and League Two will finish on Saturday 2 May 2026
• Play-off semi-finals will take place between Friday 8 May and Friday 15 May
• All three promotion finals will occur at Wembley Stadium across the Bank Holiday weekend of 23-25 May

The English Football League has announced the dates for the 2025/26 promotion play-offs. Fans now know when their clubs could secure a place in higher divisions.

The regular season for the Championship, League One and League Two will finish on Saturday 2 May. All three leagues will end their campaigns on the same day.

After the final matches, the play-off semi-finals will begin. These games will happen between Friday 8 May and Friday 15 May. Teams will play home and away to reach the final.

The three finals will take place at Wembley Stadium. They will happen over the Bank Holiday weekend of 23, 24 and 25 May. Each final will decide which club gains promotion.

Sky Sports will broadcast all 15 play-off matches live. Supporters can watch every game on television.

• The Wembley grounds crew works for more than eight hours before each match to prepare the famous 7,140 square metre pitch
• They use special “lay and play” grass technology and trained falcons to protect the surface from pigeons
• The team mixes experienced staff with new apprentices to maintain the highest standards

Karl Standley and his assistant Cameron Hutcheon stand in the south-west corner of Wembley Stadium. They hold cups of hot tea. Standley usually drinks coffee. But on match days, he chooses tea to respect his mother. She drinks tea whatever the weather.

When the referee starts the game, the two men look at the pitch. It covers 7,140 square metres. The grass shines with perfect green colour. They watch it like lions watching their territory. They have controlled every possible detail. For a short time, the football teams share the pitch. On this day, Manchester City and Southampton play on this special ground.

Standley leads the grounds and surface transitions at Wembley. His team has six members. They are only halfway through their working day. They started eight hours ago. But the hardest work is now complete.

The morning began in silence. The stadium holds 90,000 seats. All were empty. The team brushed dew from the grass. They cut every blade of ryegrass to exactly 22 millimetres. Team member David Moulds set each mower to this height with great care. The team sharpen the blades themselves. They test each blade on paper strands.

“You would not use a simple knife for an operation,” Standley explains. “It would not heal. We need blades as sharp as a surgeon’s tool. A rough cut could bring diseases to the grass.”

Standley spent 90 minutes alone painting the white lines on the pitch. Another team member painted the penalty spot at the east end.

At the same time, Brendan Abbott and Liddy Ford put up the goalposts. They moved the posts into position with perfect timing. Abbott has worked at Wembley for 17 years. He led every movement. Ford followed his instructions. They joined the team only 18 months ago. But with help from Standley and Hutcheon, they are growing fast. They have already led the team during women’s national team matches.

When all jobs on the whiteboard were complete, the team rested and ate. They then entered “game mode”. The team teased apprentice James Cruz gently. He had filled his salad box too full during the week. The group shows strong friendship and clear organisation. Later, Cruz offered to work late even though he would miss his bus home. The team rejected this offer quickly.

“We discuss problems as a team,” Standley says. “We have seen these situations before. We know how they end. Our culture allows everyone to tell me if I am wrong. They feel safe to speak. Many decisions come from years of experience.”

Standley, Moulds and Abbott have worked at Wembley for 57 years between them. Moulds and Abbott recently celebrated 20 years at the stadium. Moulds remembers their first year. “We expected to prepare pitches immediately. But we spent the first year doing office work instead.”

The team took moisture readings during the previous 48 hours. They also collected data on ground hardness and grip. Artificial intelligence turned this into a full report. The team decided to use 24 sprinklers. These would spread 2 millimetres of water evenly before warm-ups. They would add one more millimetre after warm-ups and at half-time. Standley controls this with a radio device. “We could use a phone app,” Hutcheon says. “But hackers could attack that system.”

During watering, Hutcheon and Standley stand near the tunnel. They wear suits and greet players and officials. Each team knows their warm-up area in advance. The grounds team remind them gently. Some teams follow the rules exactly. Others take small liberties.

Broadcasters also need attention. They try to change the watering times to keep their presenters dry.

When players return to their dressing rooms, the grounds team get their first chance to repair the pitch. They often have very little time. Finals and international matches include ceremonies and military displays. But a semi-final gives them about 12 minutes to fix small damages.

On Saturday, referee Craig Pawson blew his whistle. This was Standley’s signal to return to the south-west corner. He spoke into his earpiece. He said “blue valve off”. The entire team heard this. The irrigation system stops during play.

This shows their extreme attention to detail. The team often talks about “the one-percent improvements”. They take no risks. They do everything possible on the day and before it.

The “lay and play” pitch for the FA Cup semi-finals began life in August 2025 at a secret location. In January, workers cut it into over 700 strips. Each strip measured 10 metres by 1.2 metres. They drove these strips overnight to North London. “Our record for installing a pitch is two and a half days,” Standley explains. “We set this record between a concert and the 2025 Community Shield.” They will probably break this record later in 2026.

The ground staff created this idea themselves. They first made the parts during a barbecue in Standley’s garden. “I still owe my wife and daughter a baking tin,” he says with a smile.

Two days before the match, a falcon sat on duty. The stadium releases birds of prey weekly. This keeps pigeons away from the growing residential area nearby.

One day before the match, Abbott and Moulds worked for four and a half hours. They made 1.8 million small holes in the ground. This lets air into the soil and makes the ground softer for play.

While Southampton and Manchester City played, the grounds team watched carefully. They kept spare corner flags ready for emergencies. Half-time gave them another chance to repair the pitch. They worked quickly, fetching forks from their perfectly organised storage area.

Among them were Yousef Shah and Josh Wenham. They were on work experience for the week. The King’s Trust arranged this placement. This organisation works with the FA to help local young people find employment. Wembley offers opportunities to new people. “Someone gave me a chance once,” Standley says. “So we must do the same for others.” Shah left the pitch smiling widely. “Two weeks ago, I could not imagine doing this,” he said. “It is so cool.”

When the match ends, the team starts working again. First, student Dylan Samways led a group with orange brushes. They pulled the brushes lengthways across the grass. “This is drag brushing,” he explains. “We stand the grass up to remove loose dirt.”

Lewis Arscott, who travels from Exeter for match days, started the next task. Four lawnmowers picked up the remaining debris.

Darkness fell. The team formed their final repair groups. Simon Rudkins, head of grounds at Lewes FC, and Chris Horsler, head of grounds at a state school, discussed a new tool they were testing. The atmosphere was calm and friendly.

Soon after 10pm, the team pushed hard to finish the evening work. This would make Sunday’s job easier. Standley gathered everyone. “We have a rule,” he said. “When the teams arrive tomorrow, they must not see any signs of today’s game.” Nine hours later, the entire process began again.

• Enzo Fernandez scored the only goal with a header in the 23rd minute to send Chelsea to the final.
• The Blues will face Manchester City at Wembley on May 16 for the trophy.
• Chelsea secured victory just four days after the departure of head coach Liam Rosenior.

Chelsea have advanced to the FA Cup final after defeating Leeds United 1-0 in Sunday’s semi-final at Wembley Stadium. A crowd of 82,542 watched Enzo Fernandez guide the Blues to victory with a superb header.

The west London club will now compete against Manchester City in the final on May 16. This success arrives only four days after the club parted ways with manager Liam Rosenior following a 3-0 defeat to Brighton.

Interim boss Calum McFarlane has given the supporters fresh hope. The Argentine midfielder, who wore the captain’s armband, appeared determined throughout the match. He connected perfectly with a cross from Pedro Neto to break the deadlock after 23 minutes.

This goal ended a worrying run for Chelsea. The team had failed to score during a five-match losing streak in the Premier League that ultimately led to Rosenior’s exit. Interestingly, Rosenior had dropped Fernandez for two games this month after the player spoke about a possible summer transfer.

Both sides created opportunities before the opener. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez produced a brilliant stop with his right foot to deny Brenden Aaronson, who had been played through by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Earlier, Joao Pedro struck the near post after receiving a pass from Fernandez.

Leeds attempted to change their approach after the break by switching to a back four. However, Sanchez made another excellent save to push away a powerful shot from substitute Anton Stach. Chelsea then focused on managing the game.

One moment angered the Leeds supporters. Sanchez went down requesting medical treatment, which allowed McFarlane to give tactical instructions directly to Fernandez. The keeper recovered quickly and continued playing.

The defeat ended Leeds’ seven-match unbeaten run. The Yorkshire club must now concentrate on their fight against relegation, sitting just six points clear of the bottom three. They face Burnley on Friday in a crucial home fixture.

Chelsea also face important league matches as they chase Champions League qualification. However, the team now has the chance to rescue their season with silverware at Wembley next month.

• Enzo Fernandez scored the only goal with a header in the 23rd minute to send Chelsea to the final.
• The Blues will face Manchester City at Wembley on May 16 for the trophy.
• Chelsea secured victory just four days after the departure of head coach Liam Rosenior.

Chelsea have advanced to the FA Cup final after defeating Leeds United 1-0 in Sunday’s semi-final at Wembley Stadium. A crowd of 82,542 watched Enzo Fernandez guide the Blues to victory with a superb header.

The west London club will now compete against Manchester City in the final on May 16. This success arrives only four days after the club parted ways with manager Liam Rosenior following a 3-0 defeat to Brighton.

Interim boss Calum McFarlane has given the supporters fresh hope. The Argentine midfielder, who wore the captain’s armband, appeared determined throughout the match. He connected perfectly with a cross from Pedro Neto to break the deadlock after 23 minutes.

This goal ended a worrying run for Chelsea. The team had failed to score during a five-match losing streak in the Premier League that ultimately led to Rosenior’s exit. Interestingly, Rosenior had dropped Fernandez for two games this month after the player spoke about a possible summer transfer.

Both sides created opportunities before the opener. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez produced a brilliant stop with his right foot to deny Brenden Aaronson, who had been played through by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Earlier, Joao Pedro struck the near post after receiving a pass from Fernandez.

Leeds attempted to change their approach after the break by switching to a back four. However, Sanchez made another excellent save to push away a powerful shot from substitute Anton Stach. Chelsea then focused on managing the game.

One moment angered the Leeds supporters. Sanchez went down requesting medical treatment, which allowed McFarlane to give tactical instructions directly to Fernandez. The keeper recovered quickly and continued playing.

The defeat ended Leeds’ seven-match unbeaten run. The Yorkshire club must now concentrate on their fight against relegation, sitting just six points clear of the bottom three. They face Burnley on Friday in a crucial home fixture.

Chelsea also face important league matches as they chase Champions League qualification. However, the team now has the chance to rescue their season with silverware at Wembley next month.

• Leeds United play Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
• Manager Daniel Farke hopes to become only the second Leeds boss to reach the FA Cup final after Don Revie.
• The club wants to use this match as a step to return to the top level of English football.

Leeds United fans will feel both excited and nervous when they travel to Wembley Stadium this weekend. Their team faces Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday. The famous ground brings back sad memories for the club. However, this match could bring a brighter future.

The Yorkshire club has lost on its last three visits to Wembley. You must go back to 1992 for their last win there. That year, they beat Liverpool in the Charity Shield. Stars like Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and Eric Cantona played in that match.

Wembley reminds fans of heartbreak. The most recent pain came in 2024. Leeds lost 1-0 to Southampton in the Championship play-off final. That loss was hard to take. Many people thought the club would fire manager Daniel Farke after that defeat.

The club decided to keep Farke. This choice proved wise. Farke led Leeds to the Championship title the next season with 100 points. Now the team plays in the Premier League. They have 40 points this season and are practically safe from relegation.

“In sport you cannot just take the days when the sun is shining,” Farke said. “You have to take the difficult days. Normally 90 points means automatic promotion. In other seasons it would be enough. It was heartbreaking to experience that day in 2024. But the day after we started to work again.”

This is Leeds’ first FA Cup semi-final since 1987. A win would make Farke only the second manager in the club’s history to take them to the final. The first was Don Revie in 1970. That final was also against Chelsea. Leeds also reached finals in 1972 and 1973.

This occasion is very important for the whole club. Victory would likely speed up plans to return Leeds to the top level of English football.

Farke spoke to reporters this week at the club’s Thorp Arch training ground. He talked about improving the facilities there. “I was shocked when I walked in,” he said. “Thorp Arch is one of our cornerstones. We must develop young players. That is crucial for us.”

“We need a top-class training ground. With all respect, it was League One level. I could not understand how every penny went into salaries. It was important that at least a little part goes into something you cannot see straight away. This is important for the medium and long-term. I need to win the next game but I want to build something. Perhaps I am not there in five or ten years. But this is what I want to do.”

Farke added: “It is important that when it is time to leave, I want the club to be in a way better position. So far it has worked for all of my clubs. We have a clear plan on what we want to do and how to achieve it.”

• Wembley gives players and fans a rare day they will talk about for life.
• Traditional grounds like Villa Park once hosted semis, yet the new stadium keeps the same buzz.
• A Stoke legend’s speech and a 5-0 win show how the place can lift an entire club.

This weekend Manchester City face Southampton and Leeds meet Chelsea at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-finals. For every coach, player and supporter on the coach down the motorway, the sight of the arch means the same thing: we have reached the home of football.

Some people argue that the last-four ties should return to club grounds. I loved the old days at Villa Park, Highbury or Old Trafford, where half-and-half crowds roared from opposite ends. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff also did a fine job while Wembley was rebuilt. Yet when my 34th cup run finally ended with a semi in 2011, I was not going to moan about the venue.

The week before that game I invited Gordon Banks, Stoke’s greatest keeper and a 1966 World-Cup winner, to speak to our squad. He told lads who had never been to Wembley what it would feel like to see 40,000 of their own singing under one roof. Ticket queues snaked round the city. Shops filled with red-and-white shirts. The whole town breathed cup fever.

On the Wednesday we rode the train to London, parked the team bus beside the pitch and let the players walk on the turf. Most had only ever seen the grass on television. We finished the night with pasta and a single glass of wine, then headed north again. By kick-off they were calm, not over-awed.

Luck helped. The draw paired us with Bolton, not Manchester United or City. My captain asked about new suits; I told him tracksuits would do. When we saw Bolton stride out in matching jackets and flowers, I turned to my assistant and said the talk was done. We won 5-0. Fifty thousand Stoke fans belted out “Delilah” as the final whistle blew. The Coates family, who have bank-rolled the club and the city, smiled like children again.

That victory sent us to the final and gave me the day I had chased since I was a boy in Newport playing kick-about over dockland coats. Only the FA Cup final and European finals were shown live back then. We copied the goals until dusk, then ran home for supper. The competition still carries that childhood sparkle, and Wembley is its brightest light.