Brigade ready for UEFA Champions League Final and Festival

London Fire Brigade (LFB) is set to ensure the safety of Londoners and visitors during the UEFA Champions Festival and the UEFA Champions League Final.

As reported by the London Fire Brigade, the UEFA Champions League Final will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 1 June, with the Champions Festival occurring across central London from Thursday, 30 May, to Sunday, 2 June.

This event marks one of the Brigade’s largest deployments of Event Liaison Officers (ELOs), specialists deployed to events expecting over 20,000 attendees.

A total of 20 ELOs will be on duty for the Festival, stationed inside Wembley Stadium and at various fan meeting points across London.

Event coordination and emergency response

Station Commander Anthony Lewis will serve as the Brigade’s ELO for Wembley Stadium.

He explained the role: “On the day of the Final, I’ll be working with our partners inside the Control Room at Wembley.

“It’s my job to be the eyes and ears of the Brigade, helping to co-ordinate any emergency response between the Brigade, the Metropolitan Police, the London Ambulance Service and our partners at UEFA, The FA, and Wembley Stadium.”

Lewis emphasised the importance of collaboration: “Building on learning from previous events, the Brigade will have appliances inside the event footprint to ensure that we can rapidly respond to any incident.

“By working together, we can help minimise any disruption to Londoners whilst supporting what will be a truly special event.”

Comprehensive safety planning

Assistant Commissioner Patrick Goulbourne, responsible for Operational Resilience and Control, will act as the Brigade’s Gold Commander for the Final.

He highlighted the extensive preparations: “Firefighters, control staff and commanders will be strategically stationed around the city, and we’ve planned for any eventuality – from road closures to national emergencies.”

Goulbourne also noted the proactive measures taken: “Inspection Officers have been carrying out additional building surveys to ensure that any risks to fan safety are minimised.

“We’ve also been attending exercises that test our communication and our response.”

Community engagement and safety advice

Borough teams in Southwark, Westminster, and Brent have been actively engaging with communities ahead of the festival.

They have been providing advice and support, ensuring that fire safety advice is widely disseminated.

Goulbourne stated: “We want fans to have the best experience of the game and of the city.

“The Brigade has 103 fire stations and 5,000 firefighters – we’re ready to showcase our preparedness on the global stage.”

He also encouraged festival-goers to stay informed: “If you are taking part in the festivities, make sure you’re following the London Fire Brigade, Mayor of London, Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police Service on social media for important updates.”