At the National Centre RUSSIA, PFC CSKA presented the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of its UEFA Cup victory

The National Centre RUSSIA hosted a press conference where PFC CSKA announced a gala match as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of their UEFA Cup victory. The game will take place on May 18 at VEB Arena.

Throughout the spring, PFC CSKA will launch a series of special projects, including various documentary content, photo expositions in the centre of Moscow and museums, and art installations across the city. The club's partners include the Moscow Department of Transport, the State Central Museum of Contemporary History, and Sheremetyevo Airport. Thanks to their participation, the UEFA Cup will be displayed at the CSKA and Vorobyovy Gory metro stations, and the trophy will also be taken to Sheremetyevo Airport — the first place where the team brought the Cup in 2005.

"This is, first and foremost, a celebration for the fans, football enthusiasts, and those who made this sensation possible — Valery Georgievich and the team. We hope the planned events will be engaging and diverse, and there will also be a surprise regarding the opponent's lineup," said Roman Babayev, CEO of PFC CSKA.

Twenty years ago, on May 18, 2005, PFC CSKA became the first club from Russia to win a European trophy — the UEFA Cup. The victory in Lisbon was a triumph and a moment of pride for all of Russian football.

"It is always a pleasure to recall such significant moments in the history of the club and Russian football as a whole. We began preparing for the tournament, including the psychological aspect, on January 15, 2005, while our first match against Benfica, the main contender for the trophy, was already scheduled for February 18. We had to accelerate the process, which, of course, affected us. And then came the first match, the main rival — and CSKA secured the victory. From that point on, stopping us became difficult. This achievement belongs not only to CSKA but to all of Russian football. Back then, we proved that our teams could win international trophies — it was just a matter of effort. Three years later, Zenit managed to win the Cup. For the younger generation, this was important; they had something to aspire to. I want to thank our club for the idea of organizing this match — it is a great opportunity to remind CSKA's youth and the Academy players how it all happened. I am sure the former players will showcase their skills — I cannot speak for their functional fitness, but there will certainly be plenty of skill on display," said Valery Gazzayev, the honored coach under whose leadership the team won the UEFA Cup.

The club has prepared a series of events dedicated to this historic date, culminating in a match featuring PFC CSKA legends and global football stars who played against the team in that tournament.

At every home spring match of PFC CSKA in the Russian Premier League, fans will immerse themselves in the history of the UEFA Cup playoff journey. The VEB Arena’s concourse gallery will highlight memorable moments from one of the matchups from 20 years ago, while food courts will offer national cuisine from the countries of CSKA’s rival clubs. In addition, guests can look forward to autograph sessions with the heroes of the 2005 UEFA Cup victory, an exposition of historic artifacts, themed photo zones, and much more. Special merchandise and souvenirs will also be released.

"Throughout this spring, our club will host numerous events dedicated to this historic anniversary. These will include large-scale offline and online projects. The highlight of the celebrations will, of course, be the gala match — on May 18, the legendary PFC CSKA squad will face football stars from the teams that played against CSKA on that journey. The PFC CSKA lineup will feature all the legends, including Igor Akinfeyev, the Berezutskiy brothers, Vagner Love, Carvalho, and many others. Our fans have many questions about ticket sales: tickets will go on sale in late March or early April, so stay tuned for announcements on our platforms," said PFC CSKA Communications Director Kirill Breido.

A large-scale advertising campaign will unfold in Moscow: congratulatory messages for the red-and-blues will be displayed on the Ostankino Tower, the Moscow City skyscrapers, and the advertising facade of HydropProject. The well-known Smolensky Metro Bridge, familiar to city residents, will also play its part in the celebration.

"We are delighted to join the celebration of the 20th anniversary of PFC CSKA's UEFA Cup victory and have already planned a series of events at Moscow Metro locations. The UEFA Cup itself will be displayed at CSKA station, while Vorobyovy Gory station will host an exposition showcasing the history of PFC CSKA. This exposition will highlight the team's contribution to the development of football in our country. Additionally, we invite the club’s legendary athletes to participate in the 'Moscow Rides' program, giving fans the opportunity to get closer to their idols," said Vladimir Makarov, Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development.

On May 18, under the leadership of Valery Gazzayev, the PFC CSKA lineup will feature Igor Akinfeyev, Alexei and Vasili Berezutskiy, Sergei Ignashevich, Yuri Zhirkov, Chidi Odiah, Rolan Gusev, Vagner Love, Daniel Carvalho, and other club legends. The UEFA Cup team will be composed of global football stars who have played for Chelsea, Porto, PSG, Benfica, Partizan, Auxerre, Parma, and Sporting.