Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will face off in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna on Saturday, May 30, in a contest that brings together last season’s defending champions and a resurgent Gunners side seeking a first European crown.
UEFA confirmed the earlier 18:00 CET kickoff time as part of a broader push to improve the overall matchday experience for fans, teams and host cities. It will be the first time Hungary’s capital has hosted the Champions League final, with the 65,000-seat Puskás Aréna having previously staged the 2023 Europa League final and four matches during Euro 2020.
PSG booked their place after a 6-5 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich, following a 5-4 first-leg win in Paris and a 1-1 draw in Munich where Ousmane Dembélé scored early and Harry Kane netted a late consolation for the hosts. The French side, defending champions after a 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan last season, are aiming to become the first club to retain the trophy since Real Madrid’s three-peat between 2016 and 2018.
Arsenal secured their spot with a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, sealing the tie with Bukayo Saka’s 44th-minute goal in a 1-0 second-leg victory at the Emirates. The result extends the Gunners’ unbeaten run in this season’s competition to 14 matches, their longest ever in European Cup or Champions League history. It marks only the second time Arsenal have reached the final, 20 years after their 2006 defeat to Barcelona in Paris.
“This is a chance to write history,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after the semifinal. “The players have shown incredible consistency and belief, and now we have one more step to take.”
PSG head coach Luis Enrique praised his team’s composure in Munich. “We knew it would be difficult, but the squad showed character and experience,” he said. “Now we focus on Budapest and the chance to defend our crown.”
The final is a rematch of last season’s semifinal, which PSG won 3-1 on aggregate on their way to the title. Arsenal fans have been allocated 16,824 tickets for the showpiece, with both clubs expected to bring large travelling support to Budapest.
The winners will face the 2025-26 Europa League champions in the UEFA Super Cup and earn automatic qualification for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. With both sides in strong form and carrying contrasting ambitions, the Budapest final promises to be one of the most anticipated in recent years.
