PSG vs Arsenal preview: Team news, line-ups, where to watch Champions League final
Preview, team news, head-to-head, probable line-ups, tactical analysis and where to watch PSG vs Arsenal in Saturday’s Champions League final
Budapest’s Puskás Aréna is set to host the upcoming 2026 Champions League final, as defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain take on freshly crowned Premier League winners Arsenal at the earlier kick-off time of 17:00 BST on Saturday, May 30.
For Luis Enrique’s PSG, this is an opportunity to become only the second team in the modern era, after Real Madrid, to retain the prestigious trophy, building on their historic 2025 triumph over Inter.
For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the stakes could not be higher. Fresh off securing their first Premier League title in over two decades, the Gunners are chasing a historic domestic and European double.
Returning to the final for the first time in 20 years since their heart-breaking 2006 defeat to Barcelona, Arsenal aim to finally claim a major European trophy that has forever eluded the North London giants.
Team news & injury updates
Paris Saint-Germain
The reigning champions are in excellent physical shape as they look to assert their European dominance once more. Ousmane Dembélé is expected to be fit to start, while Achraf Hakimi is doubtful although PSG remain confident that he will be in contention for the final.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s squad enters Budapest on an absolute high following their Premier League title celebrations, with nearly a clean bill of health. Mikel Merino, Noni Madueke and Jurriën Timber are doubtful, with Ben White being sidelined.
Head-to-head (H2H) record
Historically, this has been an exceptionally tight fixture. However, PSG hold the edge in recent knockout memory, having eliminated the Gunners in last season’s high-stakes semi-final stage.
Last five meetings:
- 07/05/2025: PSG 2-1 Arsenal (Champions League Semi-Final)
- 29/04/2025: Arsenal 0-1 PSG (Champions League Semi-Final)
- 01/10/2024: Arsenal 2-0 PSG (Champions League League Phase)
- 23/11/2016: Arsenal 2-2 PSG (Champions League Group Stage)
- 13/09/2016: PSG 1-1 Arsenal (Champions League Group Stage)
Probable starting line-ups
PSG predicted XI (4-3-3): Safonov; Zaïre-Emery, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.
Arsenal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Trossard; Gyokeres.
Where to watch the 2026 Champions League final
Football fans in the UK and Ireland can catch the final on Saturday starting at the newly scheduled, earlier kick-off time of 17:00 BST. In a historic shift, UK rights holder TNT Sports will not be broadcasting the final free-to-air on YouTube or discovery+ for the first time in over three decades. Instead, the match is locked behind a paywall on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, and the newly launched HBO Max streaming platform.
Meanwhile, viewers in Ireland have it much easier, as the match will be broadcast completely free-to-air on both terrestrial television and digital streaming via RTÉ 2 (RTÉ Player) and Virgin Media Two (Virgin Media Player), with Premier Sports serving as the pay-TV alternative.
Across the Atlantic, viewers in the United States can tune into the action at 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT as the teams walk out at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. The English-language broadcast will be handled live on network television by CBS, with a simultaneous live stream available for cord-cutters on Paramount+. For those looking for Spanish-language coverage, the final will be televised on Univision and TUDN, while the accompanying live stream will be hosted exclusively on the ViX platform.
Match prediction probabilities
PSG enter the game as favourites due to their phenomenal attacking style under Luis Enrique and the experience of having won the competition last season, with a 41% win probability (after 90 minutes). Arsenal are deemed to have a 30% chance of winning, and will certainly not be pushovers, having reached the final with a 14-match unbeaten run in Europe. A draw in normal time is estimated at 29%.
