PSG vs. Arsenal: Who Will Referee 2026 Champions League Final?

As May 30 nears, we will spend much of our time running the rule over the two Champions League finalists: Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

Little thought will be given to the referee on the biggest night of their professional career. Instead, we’ll salivate over the impending battle between an almighty attack and the sternest of defenses. It’s a classic duel that’ll doubtless intrigue in the Hungarian capital of Budapest with so much at stake.

But what about the man in the middle, eh?

We can prophesize about what Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s going to do to Ben White until there are no more words left to type, but, as we saw at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the referee (and their team) could prove just as decisive in shaping the final as any of the stars on the field at the Puskás Arena.

Here’s an overview of the man UEFA have designated to oversee the 2026 Champions League final, who represents a favorable choice for the Gunners.

Daniel Siebert’s Refereeing Record

German referee Daniel Siebert wasn’t among the 15 UEFA officials selected for the upcoming World Cup, yet he’s been trusted to take charge of his first UEFA club competition final.

The 42-year-old Berliner still resides in the German capital and has been an international referee since 2015. He was appointed as a DFB referee eight years earlier, and refereed his first Bundesliga match at the start of the 2012–13 season.

At the time of writing, Siebert has officiated 600 professional matches, with his talents used for domestic cup finals in Cyprus and Saudi Arabia. He has more than 200 Bundesliga matches under his belt, as well as the 2023 DFB Pokal final between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt.

While he curiously wasn’t picked to referee at the 2026 World Cup, Siebert was in charge of two matches at the previous tournament in Qatar. He also officiated a combined five matches at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.

2026 Champions League Final Full Refereeing Team

Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
Assistants: Jan Seidel (GER) and Rafael Foltyn (GER)
4th Official: Sandro Schärer (SUI)
Reserve AR: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso (ESP)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
Assistant VAR: Robert Schröder (GER)
VAR Support: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP)

Arsenal & PSG’s Record With Daniel Siebert

Achraf Hakimi, Daniel Siebert — Both teams are unbeaten with Siebert as their referee. | FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

Siebert has added nine Champions League fixtures to his résumé this season, and Arsenal may well regard the German as a good luck charm. The 42-year-old was the man in the middle when the Gunners secured a crucial 1–0 away victory at Sporting CP in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.

Siebert also ran the rule over the second leg of their nervy semifinal triumph over Atlético Madrid at the Emirates Stadium.

In fact, Arsenal have a 100% record with Siebert as referee, winning all four games.

While PSG are unbeaten in games officiated by Siebert, they were held to a goalless stalemate with Athletic Club during the league phase, so their record isn’t perfect. Before that, the Parisians beat Girona, Maccabi Haifa and Club Brugge.

READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC

This article was originally published on www.si.com as PSG vs. Arsenal: Who Will Referee 2026 Champions League Final?.

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