Upwards of 100,000 supporters to descend on the Hungarian capital for May 30
Upwards of 100,000 fans are flocking to Budapest for this Saturday’s Champions League final, with all hotel rooms in the city booked. Around town, Arsenal followers seem to be outnumbering PSG’s by at least three to one. Red and white shirts have been very much in evidence in the Fan Park on showcase Heroes’ Square, where a four-day party runs until Sunday evening, with football games, live shows and family-friendly entertainment.
Behind is City Park, where the Arsenal Meeting Point is setting up on Saturday morning, while PSG supporters gather at the MTK Sportpalya the other side of the Puskás Aréna. The stadium is a short procession from either camp.
With the final is kicking off at 6pm, Budapest’s nightlife zone around Kazinczy utca and Király utca is going to be mobbed pretty early on Saturday evening. If you’re in town but don’t have tickets, here’s a guide to the best football bars in Budapest to watch the game.
Open from 10am each morning this weekend, the main Fan Park can be reached by walking up main Andrássy út from town or taking yellow metro line M1 to Hősök tere. Tonight, Friday, UK danceable popster Sigala, known for his Jackson 5 rework Easy Love, mans the decks on the main stage from 9pm. Stilt-walkers, street performers and freestyle dancers liven up the crowd through the day on Saturday, and Sunday starts gently with some walking football and chill DJs.
Nearby, tucked behind the House of Music Hungary (Magyar Zene Háza) a ten-minute stroll from Heroes’ Square, the Arsenal Meeting Point opens from 8am on Saturday, with guest appearances and DJs from 10am. Free bag drops and charging stations will be available, and the facility will stay open until long after the final whistle.
Ex-PSG stars such as Blaise Matuidi and Javier Pastore will be dropping into the Parisians’ Meeting Point at MTK Sportpark south of the stadium, surrounded by giant screens and entertained by DJs in the build-up to the match. Like Arsenal’s, the PSG faithful will be gathering at 3pm for the short march to the stadium, and their fan zone also stays open late after the game.
A shuttle bus will be ferrying supporters from the airport to MTK Sportpark throughout the day. Merchandise will also be on sale at the PSG truck at Városháza park in the city centre.
Stage for four games at Euro 2020 and the Europa League final of 2023, the Puskás Aréna is preparing for its biggest occasion since opening in 2019. Showing the same distinctive architectural features as its hallowed predecessor, the Népstadion, the Puskás Aréna holds 67,000, with a fan village usually set up between the statue park and the tower, both hangovers from the 1950s. Get to your seat in good time for the live pre-match show starring the Killers.
The stadium has its own stop, Puskás Ferenc Stadion, on the red M2 metro line and on main tram 1 route. Match-ticket holders can travel free around the city between Friday and Sunday on the metro network and tram line 1, as well as use the Champions Express bus from the airport to the two fan meeting points, and regular airport routes 100E and 200E. See here for more details. Download the BudapestGO app for all tickets and schedules. For a taxi, contact Bolt.
