Free football festival in Hyde Park

Ahead of tickets for the Champions League final going one sale next week at Wembley,FOOTBALL guests joined forces at City Hall last week.

Match of the Day presenter and former England striker, Gary Lineker, former England and Chelsea player Graeme Le Saux, women’s England coach Hope Powell and London Mayoral Advisor Kulveer Ranger, were the first to hear the news that London will play host to a free eight-day UEFA Champions Festival in Hyde Park in the run up to both the women’s and men’s finals at the end of May.

UEFA created free Hyde Park Festival which include the key sponsors such as Sony, Playstation and Ford, and run in association with the Mayor of London, will offer something for all the family.

The football-related festival will run from May 21, through to the men’s final at Wembley on Saturday, May 28.

Hyde Park to host UEFA Champions Festival

A eight-day UEFA Champions Festival will be host by London in Hyde Park ahead of May's Champions League final at Wembley.

Men and women’s Champions League finals are celebrated each time in a new destination and this time this chance has been assigned to London.

"We are home to footballing giants and this is the contest of Europe's best. Londoners are incredibly passionate about football, not least because our capital contains some of the best clubs in Europe," said London mayor Boris Johnson.

"So with our enviable pedigree in running top notch sporting occasions, and our passion for the beautiful game, there can be no better city to host the UEFA Champions League finals; all eyes will be on Craven Cottage (host of the women’s final) and Wembley and rightly so."

The official ticket ballot was also announced today (17 February), but has already raised heckles with a minimum price of £150 which some see as prohibitive.

London 2012 Olympics venues: Hyde Park

Hyde Park, one of the largest Royal Parks in London, will provide 3,000 spectators with a fantastic view of the triathlon and lengthy swimming events, while a temporary impress is set to be constructed for seated tickets.

Since 2010 the park has hosted the triathlon World Championship Series, attributing some of the greats of the sport, and in 2011 the race will be run using the exact course set out for the Games.

The park is one of the few venues where spectators may themselves have regularly run, swim and cycled. Not a lot of people can say they’ve had a kick-about at Wembley but many Londoners regularly exercise here.

Its central London location means spectators have many different public transport choices to get to and from the events while the common admittance tickets will petition to fans who like to get up close and personal to the action.

London Olympic events approved for Hyde Park Serpentine

For the London 2012 triathlon,London Hyde Park's Serpentine lake will be the centrepiece after officials approved final plans for the course.

In the park 3,000-capacity seating area will be build, as well as a pontoon on the lake where triathletes will swim one 1500m lap.

After the swim, the 40km cycle and 10km run will take in Constitution Hill and Buckingham Palace.

The Games' 10km marathon swimming event will be also host by the Serpentine.

The cycle race competition will take place after the triathlon,for the cycle race competitors will take out of the park through Queen Mother's Gate, through Wellington Arch, down Constitution Hill and on to Birdcage Walk in front of Buckingham Palace.

"Hyde Park will be a first-class backdrop for the triathlon and marathon swim as it will allow sports fans to get really close to the action as the athletes run, cycle and swim through the heart of our capital city," said Alastair Moss, chairman of Westminster Council's planning and city development committee.