The PSG vs Arsenal final had its shape before kickoff on 30 May, when the starting lineups were confirmed for the UEFA Champions League showpiece at Puskas Arena in Budapest. Matvey Safonov was named in PSG’s starting eleven, while Daniil Siebert of Germany was assigned as the referee for a match set to begin at 19:00 MSK.
That is why the lineups matter now: this is the final of the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League, the game both clubs spent the season chasing, and the search for team news peaks once the starting elevens land. PSG’s XI featured Safonov, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Hakimi, Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz, Doue, Kvaratskhelia and Dembele. Arsenal answered with Raya, Saliba, Magalhaes, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Incapie, Trossard, Rice, Odegaard, Saka and Havertz.
The selections also underline how narrow the path to Budapest was. PSG reached the final after a 6-5 aggregate win over Bayern in the semifinal, while Arsenal advanced by beating Atletico Madrid 2-1 over two legs. Both margins were tight enough to leave little room for surprise once the final lineups were released, especially with Safonov placed in PSG’s starting group for the biggest night of the season.
What happens next is simple and immediate: the teams take the field at Puskas Arena with the title on the line, and the confirmed lineups become the first clue to how the final will be played. For PSG and Arsenal, the wait is over.
