UEFA Moves Champions League Final Kick-Off Time To Early Evening

UEFA has announced that the Champions League final will now kick off earlier, starting from the 2025-26 season.

The final, which is set for Saturday, 30 May 2026 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, will begin at 17:00 BST instead of the traditional 20:00 BST slot.

According to UEFA, the decision was made to “enhance the matchday experience and benefit fans, teams, and host cities.” The organisation added that the new time will also open the final to a wider global audience through more accessible broadcasting hours.

“With this change, we are placing the fans’ experience at the heart of our planning,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. “The new kick-off time will make it even more accessible, inclusive and impactful for everyone involved.”

UEFA said families and children will find it easier to attend the game, while travelling supporters will benefit from safer and more convenient transport after the match.

The governing body has faced criticism in recent years over poor organisation at finals. Manchester City fans complained about transport delays after the 2023 final in Istanbul, while Liverpool fans were tear-gassed and penned in before the 2022 final in Paris – an incident for which UEFA later apologised.