The UEFA Finals: 20 years of experience 

For nearly two decades, ATPI Events has supported official UEFA partners in delivering guest programs around the world’s most prestigious sporting events. From managing international travel and accommodation to hospitality, ticketing, digital services including invitation and registration tools, guest communications, and on-site operations, the work behind the scenes is extensive and largely invisible. Having spent many years working within the operational event teams before moving into his current role as Commercial Head of Events, John Bergmann has seen firsthand how the UEFA Finals have evolved and what it takes to deliver a seamless experience for sponsors and their guests. 

John, you’ve been involved with UEFA Final programs for many years. What has changed the most?  

“The scale and expectations have definitely increased,” says John. “Twenty years ago, delivering a successful program was largely about getting the basics right. Today, attendees expect a highly personalized experience from the moment they receive their invitation until they return home. The UEFA partners want instant access to information, smooth travel arrangements, seamless hospitality, and real-time communication throughout the event. At the same time, the UEFA partners want greater visibility in their programs. Through our event technology and QR-scanning capabilities, we can provide real-time insights into attendee arrivals, registrations, attendance, and engagement throughout the event. It allows our clients to see exactly how their program is performing while helping us create a more seamless experience for their attendees.” 

At the same time, the operational environment has become increasingly complex. “Every year we’re effectively building a new event in a new city. Different hotels, different airports, different transportation systems, different security requirements. What worked in Istanbul won’t necessarily work in London, Munich, or Madrid. That’s why our experience matters.” 

The host city changes every year. How much preparation goes into understanding a new destination? 

“A huge amount,” John explains. “The moment a host city is announced, our teams start analyzing it. We’re looking at hotel inventory, airport capacity, transportation routes, security zones, hospitality locations, and stadium access points. We map guest journeys long before anyone arrives.” This preparation becomes particularly important because accommodation is often one of the biggest challenges. 

“Many people don’t realize that hotels can effectively be sold out years in advance. Between sponsors, football clubs, media, UEFA stakeholders, and fans, demand is enormous. Securing the right hotels in the right locations is critical because accommodation impacts almost every other element of the program.” 

What are some of the biggest operational challenges attendees never see? 

“Hopefully, most of them. Our job is to remove friction from the attendee journey. They shouldn’t have to think about where to meet their transfer, how to get to the hospitality venue, or whether their ticket is waiting for them. They should simply enjoy the experience.” That requires careful coordination across multiple touchpoints. “We manage flights for attendees arriving from all over the world. We map airport arrival points, establish welcome desks, coordinate transfers, manage accommodation, oversee hospitality access, and ensure every attendee has the information in their hands when they need it throughout the program.” 

Technology now plays a major role in the guest experience. How has that changed event delivery? 

“The event app has become one of the most important tools we use,” says John. “It gives attendees immediate access to their itinerary, travel information, hotel details, venue locations, transfer schedules, and program updates. Instead of searching through emails, everything is available in one place.” 

“But it’s also an opportunity to enhance the experience. Through the app, UEFA partners can welcome attendees with personalized content, exclusive event information, and even video messages from football legends or current players. It’s a small touch, but receiving a welcome message from one of your favorite players before attending a Champions League Final is something many attendees won’t forget.” 

Technology also supports operations behind the scenes. “We use QR-code scanning for arrivals, registration and attendance tracking. That allows our teams and hotel partners to prepare for guest arrivals and respond quickly if plans change. It improves the experience for guests while also giving sponsors better visibility into program engagement.” 

Match day is the moment everyone looks forward to. What happens behind the scenes to make that possible? 

“Months of planning,” John says. Managing UEFA ticket allocations is one of the most critical responsibilities within sponsor programs. “Every ticket allocation needs to be carefully managed. We oversee guest assignments, hospitality access, accreditation processes, and ticket distribution while ensuring compliance with UEFA requirements.” On match day itself, timing becomes everything. “You’re moving hundreds of VIP guests through a city that is operating at maximum capacity. Transfers, hospitality schedules, security procedures, stadium entry windows, everything needs to work together. The objective is simple: guests should feel excited, not stressed.” 

After 20 years, what have you learned about delivering successful sports event experiences? 

“The biggest lesson is that the most important work is often the work nobody notices. Attendees will remember the atmosphere inside the stadium, the conversations they had, and the experience of being part of such an iconic event. They won’t remember that their hotel check-in took two minutes instead of twenty, or that their transfer arrived exactly when it was supposed to.” “But those details matter. In fact, they often determine how people feel about the overall experience.” 

Looking ahead, what will continue to define success? 

“For us, it’s still about creating experiences that feel effortless for all attendees,” John concludes. “Technology will evolve. Guest expectations will continue to change. Host cities will present new challenges every year. But the principle remains the same. When every detail is taken care of, attendees are free to focus on what really matters: enjoying a UEFA Final experience they’ll never forget.”