UEFA has announced that this year's Champions League final in Budapest will start three hours earlier than its usual time slot with fan experience and Matchday logistics that motivate the change
UEFA has confirmed that the final of the Champions League will start three hours earlier than normal this season when all eyes on the Puskas Arena will be in Budapest.
The Champions League final usually started at 9 p.m. CET – which is 8 p.m. in the UK. But it will now start at 6 pm – which means that British viewers will see a start of 5 pm. It marks a big change in UEFA with the vast majority of their competitions, from the group phases to the final, starting at 8 p.m.
The only matches experienced earlier kick-off times are those in Eastern Europe, competitions in places such as Russia. The change in the final is the biggest adjustment of the competition, because they changed the day of the final of a Wednesday in a Saturday in 2010.
UEFA explained their decision because they said, “The decision was designed to improve the overall matchday experience for fans, teams and host cities by optimizing MatchDay's logistics and activities, while various tangible benefits yield.
“Our goal is to make Match Day a really pleasant experience for anyone who wants to be part of the excitement, while creating a hospitable atmosphere that makes it easy for families and children to attend the largest and most important club football match of the season.”
They also underline how the earlier kick -off time after the final logistics would make fans much easier. In general, both sets supporters visit a new stadium, a new city and are often in a new country. UEFA also claimed that guest cities can enjoy more economic benefits.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “With this change we put the experience of the fans in the heart of our planning. The final of the UEFA Champions League is the highlight of the football season, and the new kick-off time will make it even more accessible, including and impactful for all involved.”
The Puskas Arena organizes its first Champions League final that was only built in 2019. The stadium in Budapest can contain 67,155 fans and was previously one of the locations used in the Pan-European Euro 2020. This season will mark the first time that Hungary will organize the Champions League final.
It was the scene of the Europa League final in 2022, which was won on penalties by Sevilla against Roma by Jose Mourinho. The stadium bears the name of the great Hungarian forward puskas, which won the European Cup three times with Real Madrid, and is the only man who scores a hat trick in two finals