Where and when will the 2025-26 Champions League final be played

The 25/26 season has already started and all elite European soccer clubs, in addition to keeping up with their leagues, have one goal in mind: the Champions League. Once again, the competition organized by UEFA enters the calendar of many teams that aim to reach the grand final and win it. The first draw shows the path toward the knockout rounds.

With the league phase properly distributed among all participants in the 25/26 edition, UEFA has revealed where the last match of the current edition will be played: the Puskás Aréna. This stadium located in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is the site chosen by the organization presided over by Aleksander Ceferin for a match that stops the entire planet.

This venue already has some experience in European finals, as stated on UEFA's website. In fact, Puskás Aréna hosted the Europa League final between Sevilla and AS Roma in the 22/23 season, a match that the Spanish side ended up winning on penalties. There are several incentives for Real Madrid to claim victory in the current edition of the Champions League.

The name of the stadium where the final will be played is one of those motivators. Puskás Aréna is named after Ferenc Puskás, legendary Hungarian striker for Real Madrid who lifted three European Cups with the Madrid side. This is not the first Puskás Aréna to be built on that site, as it replaces the structure demolished in 2017.

It's official

The choice of Puskás Aréna as the venue for the 25/26 Champions League final is not the only change UEFA has implemented for this extremely important match. The final will be played at 6:00 p.m. (18:00), according to Spanish time, a change that will be implemented starting with this edition.

This decision by the organization presided over by Aleksander Ceferin has sparked a significant wave of opposition. This change in time is justified as "improving the overall matchday experience for fans, teams, and host cities". This way, UEFA claims, they can "optimize the logistics and matchday operations" of such an important match for world soccer.

This is not the first time Puskás Aréna has tried to host a Champions League final. The bid for the 20/21 campaign came very close to winning, but UEFA ultimately decided to hold that edition's final at the Portuguese Estádio do Dragão. Now they have the opportunity to redeem themselves.

The goal for clubs participating in the 25/26 Champions League is to reach the Puskás Aréna on May 30, 2026. The match will begin at 6:00 p.m. (18:00) that day, a moment when almost the entire European soccer elite will be watching what happens in the Hungarian stadium.