Champions League final has new totally new kick-off time that very few people spotted

Following the conclusion of the Champions League semi-finals, it has been confirmed that Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain will defend their crown against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30.

Arteta’s side overcame Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid with a 1–0 win (2–1 on aggregate), courtesy of a Bukayo Saka strike on Tuesday, before PSG drew 1–1, securing a 6–5 aggregate victory over Bayern on Wednesday.

The final will be Arsenal’s second of all time and their first since the days of Arsène Wenger and Thierry Henry in 2006.

As for PSG, the showpiece will be the club’s third, having reached the final in 2020 – losing to Bayern – before last year’s 5–0 victory over Inter.

This year’s final will take place at the 70,000-capacity Puskás Aréna, with the venue previously playing host to the 2023 Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma.

Gunners supporters will already be clamouring for tickets, with the club given an allocation of nearly 17,000, although thousands more will no doubt make the trip from London to Hungary in the hope of securing an unlikely ticket to the final.

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 the clash will get underway three hours earlier, at 5pm, this time around.

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

Explaining the reasons for the change, UEFA president Aleksander 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.”