The Champion’s League Final is no ordinary football match, and so it deserves an extraordinary viewing. Gone are the days of a warm beer on a cold terrace, bracing against the English weather and jostling for a good view of the match: The Heineken Ibiza Final has changed all that. Picture bright sun, cold beers, and giant cushions facing a huge screen at the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel – one of Ibiza’s most sought-after hotels.
That’s right, Ibiza. To many, the Balearic Isle may seem an odd choice to host the Champion’s League Final, but with fire-eaters, flyboard waiters and special guests Fernando Morientes and Luis Garcia, what better way to enjoy the UCL. And for those drowning their sorrows or celebrating success? There is always the world famous Ushuaia Club Opening Party…
The Warm-Up
Only by Ibiza’s standards could this be considered a ‘warm-up’ – unless your idea of a warm up contains acrobats, fire-eaters, unlimited Heineken, a DJ and a girl playing the saxophone from a giant hanging moon?
With a total of 600 guests invited across 20 countries, The Warm-Up doubled up as a melting pot of people, cultures and nationalities. The introduction of our football legends, Fernando Morientes and Luis Garcia (and their rather unsuccessful attempts to pour the perfect pint) commenced the evening, perfectly positioned in the Ibiza hillside, with views out over the Balearic Sea and proceeding sunset.
The Beach
Catamarans are the only way to travel. That’s right; forget your super yachts. Being gently rocked whilst lying on the netting of a catamaran with the fresh sea air in your face is the only way to completely banish any lingering hangovers.
So is a hair-of-the-dog. And what better way to cure your ailments than on Heineken’s own floating star bar, equipped with a DJ and a personal boat shuttle service taking you to and from Heineken Bay. Not impressed? How about having your drinks delivered to you by flyboard waiters – think James Bond in Thunderball crossed with The Butler – but don’t consume too much, you need to be on top form for the beach football and DJ clinic.
The Final
The Equaliser. The Penalty. La Decima. 10 Champion’s League Final victories is an impressive feat, but not nearly as impressive as the set up at the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel. With a cinematic size screen on a backdrop of Ibiza’s Playa D’en Bossa beach and a bed of gigantic cushions, not even the brief drizzle was enough to dampen anyone’s mood.
#ShareTheSofa with Fernando Morientes and Luis Garcia – not literally, of course. But with Heineken’s #ShareTheSofa campaign (featuring former legends such as: Hargreaves; Hierro; Van Nistelroy; Crespo; Gullit; and Di Matteo), football fans all over the world get their UCL questions answered and those lucky enough to win tickets to The Heineken Ibiza Final get access to a live half time analysis of the game from the two legends.
The Party
With 5,000 people, 8 headline acts and a stage that would be perfectly at home in Glastonbury, the Ushuaia Club Opening Party more closely resembles a festival than a club. The scope and scale of the night is overwhelming: Ibiza hedonism at its best, and the perfect place to commiserate your team’s loss or revel in their victory. And, if it all gets too much? Heineken’s own coach service runs regular shuttles to and from Ushuaia all throughout the night.
