UEFA changes Champions League final kick-off

UEFA has moved the kick-off time for the 2026 Champions League final forward by three hours, setting the match for 18:00 CET rather than the long-established 21:00 CET slot. The change applies to the May 30, 2026 final at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna, according to UEFA competition updates and final information pages. OneFootball first highlighted the revision in an August 28, 2025 post citing UEFA communications. UEFA later published the change on its own Champions League pages, which now list the final at 18:00 CEST. ### When did UEFA actually make the change? UEFA announced the schedule revision on August 28, 2025, in an update on its official website. The governing body said that, starting with the 2026 final in Budapest, the Champions League final would kick off at 18:00 CET instead of 21:00 CET. (onefootball.com) OneFootball’s item on the same day described the move as an official change to the 2025-26 final schedule. That post said UEFA had informed clubs and broadcasters that the final would begin at 18:00 CET. ### What time is the final now, and why do some pages say CET while others say CEST? (uefa.com) UEFA’s competition announcement used Central European Time, or CET, when describing the policy change from 21:00 to 18:00. UEFA’s event-specific pages for match week now list the final at 18:00 CEST on Saturday, May 30, 2026, reflecting Central European Summer Time in late May. (onefootball.com) The practical effect is unchanged: the final is scheduled three hours earlier than recent editions. UEFA’s support page for ticketing and event information says the match will be played at 18:00 CEST at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. (uefa.com) ### Where is the 2026 final being played? Puskás Aréna in Budapest will host the 2026 Champions League final, UEFA says. UEFA’s final guide identifies the stadium as the venue for the 2025/26 showpiece match. UEFA’s current final explainer also says the match is between Paris and Arsenal. (support.tickets-uclfinal.uefa.com) A separate UEFA page on kick-off times says the final will be played on Saturday, May 30. ### Did UEFA explain why it brought the match forward? (fr.uefa.com) UEFA said the earlier start was “designed to enhance the overall matchday experience” for fans, teams and host cities by improving logistics and operations. The governing body said the earlier slot would bring operational benefits around transport, stadium access and matchday planning. (uefa.com) UEFA did not, in the materials reviewed, frame the move as a one-off adjustment for a single host city. Its wording said the new kick-off time would apply “starting with the 2026 final in Budapest,” indicating a format-level scheduling change beginning with this season’s final. (uefa.com) ### What should fans and broadcasters watch next? May 30, 2026 is the next key date: UEFA’s official match pages now list Paris against Arsenal at 18:00 CEST in Budapest. UEFA’s final explainer says details of where to watch the match will be published on its site in due course. (uefa.com 1) (uefa.com 2)