Germany's Daniel Siebert gets the call for the biggest one. UEFA has confirmed the 42-year-old will referee the 2026 Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 30 May, kick-off 18:00 CEST.
It'll be his first UEFA club competition final — though he's hardly going in cold. Siebert has handled nine Champions League matches this season alone, including Arsenal's quarter-final against Sporting and their semi-final second leg against Atlético de Madrid. He knows this Arsenal side's rhythm at this stage of the competition better than most officials on the continent.
The full list of officials
The Champions League final gets the headline, but there are three other showpieces to account for:
- Europa League final — François Letexier (France) takes charge of Freiburg vs Aston Villa at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul on 20 May. The Frenchman refereed the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England, was fourth official at the 2024 Champions League final, and also handled the 2023 UEFA Super Cup. He knows pressure finals. Villa's odds in any tight, tactical game may hinge on how he manages the margins.
- Conference League final — Maurizio Mariani of Italy referees Rayo Vallecano vs Crystal Palace at Leipzig Stadium on 27 May. Both clubs are in a UEFA final for the first time. A historic occasion for both sets of supporters.
- Women's Champions League final — Sweden's Tess Olofsson referees FC Barcelona vs Lyon at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo on 23 May.
What to watch with Siebert in Budapest
Siebert already refereed Arsenal's semi-final second leg against Atlético. That context matters. He's seen how Mikel Arteta's side operate under continental pressure, and how they react when decisions go against them. PSG will be doing their homework on that match too.
His appointment also signals UEFA's confidence in German officiating at the top level — Siebert joins a lineage of Bundesliga referees trusted with the sport's defining nights. Whether that translates to a clean final in Budapest is another question entirely. PSG vs Arsenal in a European final, in a stadium of 67,000, with a World Cup weeks away — the referee will earn every minute of it.
