Why the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final kicks off at 5pm as Arsenal aim to dethrone Paris Saint-Germain

The climax of this year’s edition of Europe’s elite competition will see Premier League champions Arsenal go head-to-head with Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Thousands of supporters from the English and French capitals will travel to Budapest to soak up the atmosphere, with a lucky few having tickets to see their heroes in the flesh.

The match will be shown live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00 UK time (18:00 CET), a unique time for the start of a UEFA final.

The UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League finals kicked off at 20:00 UK time, while the Champions League final has got underway at 20:00 too, since it moved to Saturday in 2010.

With that in mind, let’s find out the reason why the 2025/26 Champions League final will start at 5pm.

UEFA have confirmed that the kick-off time has been chosen specifically to maximise the enjoyment of supporters and the positive economic impact for the host city, following complaints from supporters in previous years around logistical issues.

When Manchester City defeated Internazionale in 2023, Pep Guardiola's team did not receive the trophy until 00:15 because of a 22:00 kick-off. And that led to thousands of fans struggling to return from Ataturk Stadium to Istanbul.

”The decision is designed to enhance the overall matchday experience for fans, teams and host cities by optimising logistics and operations, while delivering several tangible benefits,” read the statement.

”Our goal is to make matchday a truly enjoyable experience for everyone who wants to be part of the excitement, while creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy for families and children to attend the biggest and most important club football match of the season.

”For travelling supporters, it will mean improved access to public transport – especially after the match – and a safer, more convenient journey back from the stadium.

”For the host cities, it will boost the positive economic impact of the event by giving fans the possibility to continue their celebrations.

”The new kick-off time also aligns with a more accessible broadcasting window, helping the final reach an even broader television and digital audience worldwide, with a particular focus on engaging younger viewers.”

Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Internazionale 5-0 in last year’s final to claim their first Champions League crown.

The Gunners are appearing in their first final since 2006 and are hoping to win the competition for the first time in their history.

UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, believes the change to the kick-off time will make the match more accessible.

”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 kick-off is well suited for 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.”

Arsenal received a major boost on the eve of the game when Mikel Arteta confirmed that Jurrien Timber is fit to start against Paris Saint-Germain.

Timber has not played since Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton in mid-March owing to respective ankle and groin issues.

Ben White is absent having suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 1-0 win over West Ham earlier this month, increasing the possibility that summer signing Cristhian Mosquera could start at right-back.

However, Arteta has since revealed that Timber is available for the game against the French side.

When asked about the Dutchman's condition, Arteta said: "He's fit, yeah."

And when pressed further on if Timber is available to start, The Gunners boss replied: "Yep."

You can watch the Champions League final on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.

You can subscribe to TNT Sports through HBO Max, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.

To find out where your local establishments showing TNT Sports are, use our Pub Finder.

For the latest information on which football matches are on TNT Sports, click here.

Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide.