Football fans will be treated to three whole weeks of football festivities as the UEFA Champions Festival opens in Lisbon this week. The festival highlight would of course be the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid on May 24 but fans have many other attractions and events to visit.

Tuesday marked the opening of the UEFA Champions Gallery and UEFA Champions Museum in Lisbon and effectively opened the festival as well. The UEFA Champions League film will also be premiered during the festival.

Pedro Pinto, a CNN sports correspondent and Portugese TVI broadcaster, took the helm at the opening ceremonies. Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF) president and UEFA Executive Committee member Fernando Gomes and Lisbon city councillor Jorge Máximo were in attendance.

The exhibitions will be open from 10:00-20:30 until Sunday, May 25 and are located at Paços do Concelho in Lisbon City Hall and Sala do Risco in Páteo da Galé.

"Lisbon will be at the centre of world football, not just because of the Champions League but also because of Benfica, who will represent the city of Lisbon in the UEFA Europa League final. So welcome and enjoy Lisbon, which is going to be the city of football in May," said Jorge Máximo

UEFA CHAMPIONS MUSEUM

The Museum at Páteo da Galé features match programmes from every previous final, a UEFA Women's Champions League wall and memorabilia connected with the best goals, finals and players.

Among the centrepieces are memorabilia from the world's best players such as Lionel Messi who scored twice in FC Barcelona's 2-0 victory against Manchester United in the 2009 final in Rome.

Legenday player Eusébio's jersey from the 1963 final won by AC Milan will also be on display

A match ball signed by the goal scorers in 199's final between Manchester United and FC Bayern Munchen is also on exhibit. United won the match 2-1.

The exhibit ends with the road to Lisbon, a corridor lined with the shirts of this season's 32 participating teams

UEFA CHAMPIONS GALLERY

150 iconic pictures from the competition will be on display highlighting the achievements of several Portuguese stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo, José Mourinho, Eusébio and Mário Coluna,

There are also two snapshots from the first final to be held in Lisbon in 1967 between Celtic FC and FC Internazionale Milano

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FILM

The official film's global premiere will be in Lisbon on Thursday as part of the UEFA Champions Festival. The screening will start at 22:00 local time. The film's 25 minutes include first-hand accounts of the most celebrated moments in the competition's history.

The Champions Festival opens its gates at Praça do Comércio to the public on 22 May. It is open between 11.00 and 23.00 on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 11.00 and 17.00 on the Sunday.

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