Furthering cricket’s global expansion, ICC chairman Jay Shah met with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin in Munich ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena.
Shah, the former BCCI secretary, met Ceferin on Friday. Shah referred to the meeting with Čeferin as an important occasion to connect with sports administrators from other fields while the ICC advances cricket’s international presence.
“Honoured to represent cricket in Munich ahead of the @championsleague Final and have discussions with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. It’s always valuable to spend time with other sporting leaders as the @ICC expands our sport’s global reach,” Shah posted on X on Saturday.
Shah had earlier this year met former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach in Lausanne ahead of the IOC Session. Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will see the return of cricket to the Games programme.
The Champions League final on Saturday promises to be an exciting contest as Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain face off for the top prize in European club football. Both teams have suffered defeats in recent finals: Inter lost to Manchester City in 2023, and PSG’s only final appearance ended with a defeat by Bayern Munich in 2020.
The Champions League final promises fireworks as PSG, under Luis Enrique, eye their first-ever UCL title and a historic treble, having already secured the Ligue 1 and French Cup trophies. Inter Milan, aiming to salvage a trophyless season, reached the final after a dramatic 7-6 aggregate win over Barcelona. They are eyeing their fourth Champions League crown, having last appeared in the final in the 2022–23 season where they lost to Manchester City.