Champions League final LIVE
- Arsenal and PSG prepare to clash in Champions League final
- Mikel Arteta's side are back in European decider for first time in two decades
- PSG are the defending champions and favourites for more success
- TEAM NEWS: Jurrien Timber returns to training in Arsenal injury boost
Arteta on Timber fitness:
17:34 , Kieran Jackson
“Yeah, he's fit yeah.”
Question: Fit enough to start the game?
“Yes.”
Kai Havertz on Arsenal's Champions League hopes
21:00 , Jack Rathborn
“I don’t even think about that. I just feel like PSG won it last year, so they were probably the best team in Europe. And they have had an unbelievable season again.
“But we have so much confidence. We have been fighting on the highest level for a couple of years, we have finally won the Premier League, and that has given us a big boost.
“It doesn’t matter if you are an underdog or whatever. We are going to go on the pitch and are going to beat them.
“As a kid I could have never dreamt that I would score a goal in the final and win that game. It is a moment I will never forget. I will always be proud of it. And I just try to take that feeling into Saturday. Hopefully, I will get that feeling again and bring the trophy home to north London.”
Inside Arsenal’s emotional title celebrations – and Mikel Arteta’s plans to ‘unlock’ a new era
20:00 , Miguel Delaney in Budapest
In those long minutes before the final whistle at Bournemouth, some of Mikel Arteta’s players had to leave the room for a few moments to themselves. It was that tense. They were feeling every second of it.
When Manchester City’s 1-1 draw was finally confirmed, there was euphoria – but some in the room noticed something else in the reaction. It was pure release. There were guttural roars as players simply let everything out.
Staff members immediately burst into tears.
The feeling, when some reflected on it the next day, was that this meant far more than just the title or ending a 22-year wait – despite how significant those achievements obviously are.
Inside Arsenal’s title triumph – and Arteta’s plans to ‘unlock’ more
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard on Viktor Gyokeres impact
19:30 , Jack Rathborn
"I think he's been brilliant since he came in. I think he's been unbelievable for us. Scored a lot of goals and not just the goals but the way he plays.
"The attention he takes on the pitch and leaves a lot of space for the rest of us.
"He's someone who gives absolutely everything every single game and he works so hard.
"He's so determined to get in front of the goal and make the difference."
Champions League final odds
19:00 , Jack Rathborn
To win the match in 90 minutes
PSG: 13/10
Draw: 11/5
Arsenal 21/10
To lift the trophy
PSG 8/13
Arsenal 6/5
Emmanuel Eboue on Arsenal's chances in Champions League final
18:30 , Jack Rathborn
Former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue told BetMGM: “Arsenal can go there with the confidence of winning the league after suffering so much in the past few years.
“This year, they have won it, so that pressure has disappeared.
“I know people won’t believe Arsenal can beat PSG, especially having won the competition last year.
“But me? I think Arsenal will spring a surprise and they will do it.
“The winning mentality is back at Arsenal. I will be there supporting them!”
Arteta on his captain, Martin Odegaard:
18:20 , Kieran Jackson
“Martin, he is himself. He is a person you can trust with your life. Probably the biggest role model we have in that dressing room.
“He has all the attributes to lead the team in a way that is great.”
Arteta on Rice saying 'it's not done'
18:10 , Kieran Jackson
“It was a natural reaction, it was what he felt in the moment. It was what I could sense from the team.
“The energy turned around and we played with a freedom.”
PSG train in Budapest before Champions League final
18:00 , Jack Rathborn
Arteta on PSG as favourites:
17:53 , Kieran Jackson
“Well, they are defending the trophy, they are the champions, and we are here to take that away from them.”
On enjoying the final: “I am present in the moment. I am living now here. I want to go outside and be with the players outside, start to realise where we are. Tomorrow is a day to own it.
“We made big strides to earn the right to be here in the competition.”
Has Arteta spoken to Wenger?
17:48 , Kieran Jackson
“Not directly because you know how Arsene is, he doesn't want to be in the way.
“I have spoken to a lot of ex-players and everyone is rooting for us.”
Arteta on his team selection:
17:44 , Kieran Jackson
“I look around, I see the joy, the desire they all have to play this game. It is the biggest game in football and everyone wants to be part of that.”
Does winning league take pressure off?
“No. We won the first and we want the second one. it has to be a platform to reach bigger destinations.”
Bukayo Saka on 'fire' heading into final
17:26 , Kieran Jackson
On final: “I think we have enough fire going into the game tomorrow. We know the history of the club and that is enough for us.
On pressure: “I don't think about it too much, that's my thing. Focus on the moment, enjoy it, leave it in God's hands”
On interactions with Thierry Henry: He messaged me earlier. It has been a consistent theme in the good and bad moments, I have a lot of love for him.
Saka and Odegaard on their way
17:20 , Kieran Jackson
The Arsenal captain and star player are set to talk to the media at the Puskas Arena shortly.
Kroenke eyes Arteta extension after Arsenal land title
17:10 , Jack Rathborn
"I think the good news for Arsenal fans worldwide is he's enjoying the project, he's enjoying being `here and, from his time as `a player all the way up until now, he's an Arsenal man through and through," Josh Kroenke said. "If there is a singular person you can trace this all back to, I'm going to give 100% credit to Mikel, his staff and the players."
"Should we get a great result its not going to change or affect who we are," he added. "(In) our experience of winning things in the (United) States, when you win something, the sun’s still going to come up the next day. You’ve got to get back to work and there are many teams trying to gain on you, including some historically great ones around the Premier League.
"Were going to look to strengthen because we know teams around us are going to get better. If youre not trying to continually evolve and improve, youre standing still."
Achraf Hakimi passed fit to play for PSG in Champions League final
16:47 , Jack Rathborn
Achraf Hakimi is in good spirit, with the Morocco full-back ready to play in tomorrow’s Champions League final.
It should allow PSG to play a full strength side, with Ousmane Dembele and Nuno Mendes also ready to play after struggling with fitness issues in recent days.
PSG's Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes passed fit and available to play in Saturday's Champions League final against Arsenal in Budapest 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/H9XmESylKe
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 29, 2026
Dua Lipa, DiCaprio and the ‘cool’ business behind the Champions League final
16:30 , Jack Rathborn
Over the last few days, Mikel Arteta has been working on one specific plan to try and solve what is arguably the most difficult challenge in football right now: somehow stopping Paris Saint-Germain running at you. There’s nothing like it in world football right now, which is why you arguably have to prevent it from happening at all.
Arteta’s work on this has been surrounded by a bit of mystique, which is where you can suddenly see the logic in Southampton’s punishment for “Spygate”. This is proper trade-secret stuff, as befitting the stakes of a Champions League final.
Such mystique also fits the gravitas of the occasion. There’s little like this fixture in sport outside the World Cup final.
Why Arsenal and PSG became football’s coolest clubs
PSG's route to Champions League final
16:10 , Jack Rathborn
League stage: 11th place
Playoffs: Monaco (5-4 on aggregate)
Round of 16: Chelsea (8-2 on aggregate)
Quarterfinals: Liverpool (4-0 on aggregate)
Semifinals: Bayern Munich (6-5 on aggregate
Hakimi named in PSG squad to face Arsenal in Champions League final
15:50 , Jack Rathborn
Achraf Hakimi is in the PSG squad to face Arsenal in the Champions League final.
The Morocco full-back was expected to be out, but there is now a chance he could feature, providing both solidarity at the back and a force going forward.
📋 The squad for the final! ⚔️🔴🔵#UCL pic.twitter.com/7Zon8q9KZi
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 29, 2026
PSG boss Luis Enrique, Marquinhos and Ousmane Dembele speak to the media
15:29 , Jack Rathborn
Arsenal players arrive at Budapest hotel before Champions League final
14:00 , Jack Rathborn
Arsenal v PSG is a battle of contrasts, with a much deeper significance
13:30 , Miguel Delaney in Budapest
Arsenal, if you listen to some at the club, may now have their chance at “revenge”. They felt they were actually better than Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s semi-final, which may still baffle many people who’ve watched the Qatari project since.
The rest of Europe might just want a better crescendo than the semi-final ultimately offered, and perhaps that the Champions League final has been due for some time. There hasn’t been a great final in years, arguably since 2005, despite claims from 2008, 2012 and 2017.
That has meant the semi-finals have often represented the absolute peak of club football, even if this year’s didn’t reach the heights that had been anticipated.
Arsenal v PSG is a battle of contrasts, with a much deeper significance
Arsenal planning renovation of Emirates Stadium after Premier League triumph
13:15 , Jack Rathborn
Arsenal are currently “putting together a plan” to renovate the Emirates Stadium, with chief executive Richard Garlick leading talks, according to co-chair Josh Kroenke.
The new English champions have been considering some kind of evolution for a few years, especially since the recent rebirth of the club has meant they could easily sell tens of thousands more tickets than the current 60,704 capacity. The stadium is already 20 years old and now operates in a different financial world to when it opened.
“Rich Garlick is leading those conversations on our end right now,” Kroenke said in a sit-down with media. “We have several new members of the board that are plugged into that, that do those operations for us in the States. They’re putting together a plan right now to renovate the Emirates
“We’re starting these exercises with some of our advisers but the Emirates has been an amazing stadium for us. I think we took it to a different level this year. I think that’s credit to Mikel [Arteta] and those players.
“But there’s some character that I want to make sure we’re preserving and bringing back to the ground as well. I think we can do that in a very elegant manner that’s really to the benefit of Arsenal. We do this stuff in the States in our facilities and our teams. We take great pride in it so I think we have a chance to come over and really give the Arsenal supporters an elevated matchday experience from where they are right now.”
PSG v Arsenal predictions
13:00 , Jack Rathborn
Who will be the key player in Budapest?
Miguel Delaney, chief football writer: Gabriel Magalhaes. I've had a gut feeling about him scoring the set-piece winner for some time. He also missed last year's semi-final
Richard Jolly, senior football correspondent: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Partly because he is brilliant, partly as he has been arguably the best player in the Champions League knockout stages. But with Arsenal waiting to see who will play right-back - maybe Jurrien Timber will start, but he has been out for a couple of months, maybe Cristian Mosquera - that might give an advantage to the Georgian.
Jack Rathborn, sports editor: Ousmane Dembele. For a Ballon d’Or winner to not be spoken about that much is a surprise, and while Dembele will face one of the meanest defences in recent years, his style and intelligence could crack Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. The French forward’s movement could be vital to PSG’s hopes of breaking down the Gunners, should he drift wide to ensure Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cannot be doubled up, or occupy the pocket of space between the lines, Luis Enrique will hope enough gaps open up to punish Mikel Arteta’s side.
Kieran Jackson, senior sports writer: Declan Rice. If the Arsenal linchpin can dominate the middle of the park – not necessarily in terms of possession, but in terms of breaking up play, storming through the lines and creating chances further forward – the Gunners have a chance.
Alex Pattle, sports writer: Kvaratskhelia. I agree with Rich that the uncertainty around Arsenal’s right-back situation might play into this. I have a feeling that Arsenal will succeed in neutralising one of Kvaratskhelia and Dembele but will fail to limit the other. And I’m backing Kvaratskhelia to be the more dangerous player on the night.
Budapest comes alive for Champions League final week
12:30 , Jack Rathborn
PSG v Arsenal predictions: Who will lift the Champions League?
12:30 , Jack Rathborn
Miguel Delaney, chief football writer: Arsenal. I think they pose challenges, especially in team structure, that Paris Saint-Germain just haven't had this season. Physicality could well be key. 1-0.
Richard Jolly, senior football correspondent: Paris Saint-Germain - Arsenal's record so far, unbeaten and topping the group, means they are entitled to call themselves the best team in the competition so far. But, when PSG peak, they can reach another level, as they did in last year's final. 2-1.
Jack Rathborn, sports editor: Arsenal. Containing Ousmane Dembele is likely to prove vital to preventing that overwhelming momentum Luis Enrique’s side can produce, as seen by that relentless finish in the first leg of the round of 16 against Chelsea. Confidence will be sky-high after the Premier League title and the way that Mikel Arteta’s side approached the away game against Man City, despite losing, shows they will not be overwhelmed by the occasion. 1-0 to the Arsenal.
Kieran Jackson, senior sports writer: Arsenal. Confidence is high and momentum is with them. If Mikel Arteta stays bold with his team selection (e.g. Lewis-Skelly over Zubimendi), I do see a 1-0 victory in the offing, with one set-piece goal in their favour.
Alex Pattle, sports writer: PSG. I think it will be a closely-contested game, tense in parts and open in others. I’ll go 2-1 to PSG, with Arsenal to trail, equalise, and ultimately suffer late disappointment.
The Mikel Arteta method that could turn Arsenal into Champions League winners
12:19 , Richard Jolly in Budapest
Maybe it is the method against the magic. Arsenal could be damned with faint praise when compared with Paris Saint-Germain, their more structured style of play contrasted with something more fluid and fast. And yet, should they become champions of Europe for the first time, it might be the product of planning.
Whether or not it is actually done on spreadsheets, it has the feel of a project pursued in a logical, disciplined manner, the product of an organised mind. Mikel Arteta is far from the only elite manager who is accused of being a control freak but, especially as Arsenal now have the vantage point of being Premier League champions there is an orderly look to their progress.
The Mikel Arteta method that could turn Arsenal into Champions League winners
Champions League: PSG v Arsenal build-up and latest news
12:09 , Jack Rathborn
Good afternoon and welcome to the Independent’s build-up to the biggest game in European club football as Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final tomorrow.
Budapest hosts the match, with expectations high.
Can the Gunners lift the trophy for the first time in their history or will PSG land a historic repeat after last year’s crushing win over Inter Milan?
Join us for the latest updates and news, with Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly reporting from Budapest.
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