The UEFA Champions League final has been brought forward by three hours, which means the Indian fans no longer need to stay up late to witness the marquee event. Beginning this season’s final at Budapest (May 30, 2026) the UEFA has decided to start the final at 6pm (central Europe).
While announcing the decision the UEFA said, “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. 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.”
The decision as UEFA explains has been taken while keeping the travelling fans in mind, it also indirectly benefits the Asian continent as well, where there is a huge following for the club football’s biggest tournament. “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,” the UEFA said in a statement.
So far, the final has began at 9PM (European time) and in case of the game going into extra-time and penalties, it has seen the action spill over to the next day. The final, which has been held on Saturdays, will continue to follow the tradition.
The draw for the upcoming season of Champions League is set to take place later on Thursday. Defending champions PSG have been placed in Pot 1 which includes Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona. In Pot 2 are Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villareal, Juventus, Club Brugge and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, Glimt and Marsellie are in Pot 3. The Pot 4 includes Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Qarabag, Athletic Club Bilbao, Newcastle, Pafos and Kairat.
Each team will play 8 matches in the group stage with each playing two opponents from the same pot. Teams that finish in the top-8 make it the Round of 16.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
