UEFA president explains why Champions League final kick-off time between Arsenal and PSG has been changed

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has explained why the Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will kick off at an unusual time.

Newly crowned Premier League champions Arsenal will face reigning French and European champions PSG on Saturday (May 30), with Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique looking to add to what have already been impressive campaigns for their respective sides.

This year’s Champions League final will take place at the 70,000-capacity Puskás Aréna – named after former Real Madrid and Hungary forward Ferenc Puskás – with the venue previously playing host to the 2023 Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma.

The Hungarian national team also use the stadium for their home matches.

Masses of Arsenal fans have already touched down in Budapest, with the club allocated nearly 17,000 tickets, although thousands more will no doubt be in the city after making the trip from London to Hungary in the hope of securing an unlikely ticket to the final, which is the club’s first Champions League final since their defeat to Barcelona in Paris in 2006 – and only their second in history.

Ahead of this year’s final, it may be worth both sets of fans checking the kick-off time, as a change has been made.

In previous years, the match has kicked off at 8pm (BST), but this time around it will get underway three hours earlier, at 5pm.

UEFA explain reason for kick-off time change

The reason for the change is related to enhancing the matchday experience for fans, making the game more accessible to younger audiences and international viewers.

Explaining the reasons for the change, UEFA president Čeferin said: “With this change, we are placing the fans’ experience at the heart of our planning.

“The UEFA Champions League final is the highlight of the football season, and the new kick-off time will make it even more accessible, inclusive and impactful for everyone involved.

“While a 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT) kick-off is well suited to midweek matches, an earlier kick-off on a Saturday for the final means an earlier finish – regardless of extra time or penalties – and offers fans the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the evening with friends and family, reflecting on the game of the season.”

Meanwhile, UEFA released a separate statement which read: “The decision is designed to enhance the overall matchday experience for fans, teams and host cities by optimising matchday logistics and operations, while delivering several tangible benefits.

“Our goal is to make matchday a truly enjoyable experience for everyone who wants to be part of the excitement, while creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy for families and children to attend the biggest and most important club football match of the season.

“For travelling supporters, it will mean improved access to public transport – especially after the match – and a safer, more convenient journey back from the stadium. For the host cities, it will boost the positive economic impact of the event by giving fans the possibility to continue their celebrations.

“The new kick-off time also aligns with a more accessible broadcasting window, helping the final reach an even broader television and digital audience worldwide, with a particular focus on engaging younger viewers.”

UK viewers can catch the action on TNT Sports, with The Killers set to headline the pre-match show.