THE Guinness PRO14 final will be held at Cardiff City Stadium next year.

The trophy will be lifted at the 33,280-capacity home of the Bluebirds in the capital on Saturday, June 20.

Wales will host the showpiece event for the first time since the final destination has been decided in advance.

In the first five years, home advantage when to the finalist that finished higher up the table but that was changed in 2015, when Glasgow beat Munster at Ravenhill in Belfast.

Leinster triumphed against the Warriors at Celtic Park last season, the previous two finals were at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and Connacht upset the odds at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 2016.

Now it’s Wales’ turn with rugby to be played at Cardiff City Stadium again, the Blues’ short-lived home and the venue for the 2011 European Challenge Cup final between Harlequins and Stade Francais.

“We have long heard the voices of the Welsh fans who wanted to see the Guinness PRO14 Final take place here and it’s great that all of the pieces have finally fallen into place for 2020,” said PRO14 chief executive Martin Anayi.

“Choosing Cardiff City Stadium as the location for next year’s final allows us to aim for a sell-out event after four successive years of setting new attendance records.

“Bringing the final to Wales is another move in making the Championship decider about supporters of rugby, not just fans of the teams involved, and we know from experience that Welsh supporters are the most vocal.”

“Rugby has always been a sport at the heart of Wales and having another world-class rugby event in our capital city is very exciting,” said former Wales and Lions captain Warburton.

“I’ve seen a couple of matches in Cardiff City Stadium and the atmosphere can be electric with the right crowd – it’s going to be a great final whichever of the teams make it.”