PSG and Arsenal to decide the 2025-2026 Champions League in Budapest

The UEFA Champions League will reach its conclusion on the night of May 30, when Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal face off at the Puskás Arena in Budapest. It is the first final of the tournament held at the new kick-off time set by UEFA – one of the changes in the package of reforms the body has been implementing to modernize the competition and improve the experience for fans, clubs and host cities.

How PSG and Arsenal got here

The Parisians had to overcome Bayern Munich in a breathtaking semifinal. After winning 5-4 at the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique’s side went to Munich and held on for a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena, closing out the aggregate at 6-5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the architect of the away goal: he received from Fabián Ruiz and laid it off to Ousmane Dembélé, who finished into the top corner. Harry Kane did pull one back in the final minute of extra time, but there was not enough time for the Bavarian comeback.

Arsenal, for their part, eliminated Atlético Madrid with a 1-0 win in the second leg, securing a 2-1 aggregate scoreline. Bukayo Saka was the Londoners’ hero, scoring the only goal at the end of the first half. For the Gunners, it is a return to Europe’s biggest match almost 20 years after the 2005-2006 final, when Arsène Wenger led the club to its only appearance in the tournament’s deciding game.

A historic final for Hungarian football

The Puskás Arena hosts a UEFA club final for the first time. The Hungarian national stadium, opened in November 2019, has a capacity of 67,000 spectators and bears the name of Ferenc Puskás, the football legend who won three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has already called the venue a “jewel of Hungarian football”. The stage had already hosted four Euro 2020 matches and the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, between Bayern and Sevilla.

The historic weight of the clash

For PSG, it is the third Champions League final in the club’s history – and the seventh appearance in UEFA tournament finals, a record for French football. The team arrives as the reigning champion of the competition, with the solidity that Luis Enrique has instilled in the side over recent months. On the other side, Mikel Arteta brings Arsenal back to the point where Wenger left off. It has been almost two decades of waiting. The final kicks off at 11 p.m. Brasília time.