2026 UEFA Champions League Final: Paris Saint-Germain - Arsenal

The 2026 UEFA Champions League Final will be the match that concludes the 2025/26 season of the UEFA Champions League, European football’s most prestigious club competition. The final will be played on Saturday 30 May 2026 at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The finalists are Paris Saint-Germain the champions of the 2024/25 season and Arsenal FC who are aiming to win the continent’s most prestigious trophy for the first time in their history. This encounter marks the 34th final since the competition adopted the name Champions League in the 1992/93 season and continues the European Cup tradition now in its 71st season.

Semi-finals

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League semi-final stage was completed with the first legs played on 28–29 April 2026 and the return legs on 5–6 May 2026. The matchups were Arsenal versus Atlético de Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain versus Bayern Munich with each tie played on separate nights.

Arsenal – Atlético de Madrid Semi-final

First Leg: Atlético de Madrid 1–1 Arsenal

^{First Leg: Atlético de Madrid 1–1 Arsenal (AA)}

The first leg was played at Atlético de Madrid’s home stadium in Spain the Estadio Metropolitano. Viktor Gyökeres gave Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot in the first half but Julián Álvarez equalised with a penalty and then put his team ahead again. The match ended 1–1. Atlético appeared more dangerous in front of goal going into the return leg. Atlético had scored 35 goals in this season’s Champions League including 10 from Álvarez setting a new club record and achieving their most prolific Champions League campaign in history.

Second Leg (Return): Arsenal 1–0 Atlético de Madrid

^{Second Leg (Return): Arsenal 1–0 Atlético de Madrid (AA)}

The return leg was played on Tuesday 5 May 2026 at 21:00 CET at Arsenal Stadium. The decisive goal came after 44 minutes when Leandro Trossard’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Jan Oblak. In the immediate reaction Bukayo Saka reacted to the ball bouncing off the keeper’s hands entered the space between defenders and fired into the net. Arsenal won the match 1–0 with that single goal and advanced to the final with a 2–1 aggregate victory marking the club’s second ever Champions League final appearance.

Declan Rice’s defensive contributions were also decisive. Rice notably blocked a crucial shot from Giuliano Simeone won five of seven duels and completed the most passes on the pitch 56. UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria described Rice as a player distinguished by positional awareness and decision-making speed and assessed Saka’s goal as a product of his reading of the game and positioning inside the box. The Man of the Match award was given to Declan Rice.

Atlético de Madrid managed their first on-target shot on goal only in the 82nd minute. The team failed to secure a positive result in any of their four away matches in England this season having drawn with Liverpool and Arsenal in the group stage and lost to Tottenham in the round of 16.

^{Second Leg (Return): Arsenal 1–0 Atlético de Madrid (AA)}

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said after the match: “An incredible night. We wrote history together. I could not be happier for everyone involved. After 20 years we are back in a Champions League final for the second time in our club’s history.” Bukayo Saka added: “You can see how important this is for us and what it means to our fans. We are all very happy.”

Paris Saint-Germain – Bayern Munich Semi-final

First Leg: Paris Saint-Germain 5–4 Bayern Munich

^{First Leg: Paris Saint-Germain 5–4 Bayern Munich (AA)}

The first leg was played in Paris and became the highest-scoring match in Champions League semi-final history with the first half featuring five goals for the first time ever in a single semi-final. Paris Saint-Germain won 5–4. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé each scored two goals while João Neves also contributed to the scoreline. For Bayern Munich Harry Kane Dayot Upamecano and Luis Díaz found the net.

Second Leg (Return): Bayern Munich 1–1 Paris Saint-Germain

The return leg was played on Wednesday 6 May 2026 at the Allianz Arena. The match’s outcome was decided in the opening minutes. In the third minute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made a quick run down the left flank and delivered an accurate pass to Ousmane Dembélé who headed the ball into the net. This goal sealed Paris Saint-Germain’s 5–2 aggregate advantage.

^{Second Leg (Return): Bayern Munich 1–1 Paris Saint-Germain (AA)}

After the match João Neves told Canal+: “We are extremely proud of this journey. Despite injuries all our players were ready to play. A great team is built like this.” Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique said: “The character we showed against a team like Bayern was very positive. Reaching our second consecutive Champions League final has made us very happy. It was a very tough and intense match.”

Bayern narrowly avoided danger in the 33rd minute when Manuel Neuer saved João Neves’ shot. Musiala’s powerful strike in the first half forced Safonov into a difficult save while Jonathan Tah headed a good chance wide. In the second half Désiré Doué and Kvaratskhelia repeatedly put Neuer under pressure. In the 90+4th minute Harry Kane’s shot made it 1–1 but this goal only levelled the aggregate score at 5–6 and was not enough. Paris advanced to the final with a 6–5 aggregate advantage.

^{Second Leg (Return): Bayern Munich 1–1 Paris Saint-Germain (AA)}

The Man of the Match award was given to Willian Pacho. The UEFA Technical Observers Group described Pacho as “the architect of a superb Paris defensive performance who won all his duels and made crucial interventions.”

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany said: “I will not be in a state of disappointment for long. We were eliminated by a very strong opponent after two very difficult matches. We needed to be more decisive. Congratulations to Paris.” Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer added: “Unfortunately our goal came too late. We had no time to create another opportunity or perhaps a free-kick situation. We were not effective enough in the penalty area.”

Statistical Overview of Both Matches

With this result Paris Saint-Germain became the first French club to reach two consecutive Champions League finals. They also remain the only French team to have reached three European Cup finals (they reached the final in 2020 losing 1–0 to Bayern Munich and in 2024/25 defeated Inter Milan 5–0 in the final). Paris Saint-Germain also became the first club since Real Madrid in 2017/18 to reach another final after having won one.

With this return leg victory Paris Saint-Germain’s total goals in this season’s Champions League reached 44. This figure is one goal short of the record for most goals scored by a single club in a single Champions League season set by Barcelona in 1999/2000 with 45 goals. Bayern Munich also surpassed the 40-goal mark this season with 43 goals before elimination making this the first time in Champions League history that two different clubs in the same season both exceeded 40 goals. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia recorded 10 goals and six assists for a total contribution of 16 goals becoming the first player in Champions League history to register a goal contribution in seven consecutive knockout matches after the group stage. Marquinhos surpassed Roberto Carlos 120 appearances to become the Brazilian player with the most Champions League matches played with 121.

Final Venue: Puskás Aréna

The Puskás Aréna officially opened as Hungary’s national football stadium on 15 November 2019. It was built following the demolition of the former Ferenc Puskás Stadium on the same site in 2017. The brick walls at the stadium’s main entrance were preserved from its predecessor and incorporated into the new structure.

^{Puskas Arena (}Flickr⁾

The stadium’s design and construction were carried out by Codina Architectural firm. The building’s striking metal façade integrates modern techniques with characteristic elements of the original structure. The stadium has a capacity of 67 000 spectators. Designer Giorgio Skardelli aimed to merge modern features with the distinctive character of the original building.

Construction took place between 2017 and 2019 during which approximately 20 000 square metres of stainless steel mesh were produced and installed. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin described the stadium as “the crown of Hungarian football” and praised the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) for its commitment to the new stadium project.

History and Previous Events at the Stadium

The stadium is named after Ferenc Puskás the legendary Hungarian footballer who won three European Cups with Real Madrid. The Puskás Aréna hosted its opening ceremony with a friendly match between Hungary and Uruguay. Uruguay won 2–1 and Ádám Szalai the former captain and then-assistant coach became the first Hungarian player to score in the new stadium.

The stadium hosted four matches during UEFA EURO 2020 including Hungary’s 1–1 draw with World Champions France in Group F. It also hosted the 2020 UEFA Super Cup match between Bayern Munich and Sevilla which Bayern won 2–1.

In May 2023 the Puskás Aréna hosted the UEFA Europa League Final. Sevilla defeated Roma on penalties to claim a record seventh Europa League title. The 2026 Champions League Final will be the first time Hungary hosts the final of Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

The stadium is located in eastern Budapest approximately one kilometre from Budapest Keleti Railway Station and about two kilometres from the city’s historic centre.

Final Rules and Procedures

If the match is tied after normal time two 15-minute extra time periods will be played. If the tie remains unresolved after extra time the winner will be determined by a penalty shootout. The Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi® will feature the American rock band The Killers.

Final Surroundings and Organisational Information

Kick Off Show

The Kick Off Show opening the final will be presented by Pepsi®. The main act will be the American rock band The Killers. The band also starred alongside Sir David Beckham in a short film titled “The Race Begins.”

Final Kick-off Time Change

The 2026 Champions League Final will kick off at 18:00 CET earlier than in previous years. This change was implemented to improve logistical planning for fans teams and host cities and to enhance the overall matchday experience.

Other 2026 UEFA Finals

The 2026 UEFA Europa League Final will be held at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul. The 2026 UEFA Conference League Final will take place at RB Arena in Leipzig. The 2026 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final will be held at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.