English Version
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced a significant change to the scheduling of its prestigious Champions League final. The match will now commence at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET), a shift from its traditional 9 p.m. start, primarily motivated by a desire to improve the overall experience for supporters.
This decision, made public on Thursday, initially targets the 2026 final, slated to be held at Budapest`s Puskás Arena. While the immediate focus is on this particular event, it remains to be seen if this earlier kick-off time will become a permanent fixture for subsequent Champions League finals. The move aims to have the game conclude during daylight hours, thereby simplifying post-match travel arrangements for attendees and simultaneously making the broadcast more accessible to a global audience.
In a statement released Thursday, UEFA elaborated on its rationale: «This adjustment is designed to elevate the entire matchday experience for fans, participating teams, and host cities alike, by streamlining logistics and operational aspects while delivering several concrete advantages. Our ultimate objective is to ensure that the matchday is a truly memorable occasion for everyone keen to partake in the excitement, fostering an inviting environment suitable for families and children attending the pinnacle of the club football season.»
UEFA highlighted specific benefits: «For traveling fans, this means enhanced availability of public transportation, particularly after the final whistle, leading to a safer and more convenient journey home from the stadium. For the host cities, it is expected to amplify the positive economic impact of the event, as fans will have more opportunity to extend their celebrations. Furthermore, the revised kick-off time aligns with a more accommodating broadcasting window, helping the final reach an even broader global television and digital viewership, with a particular emphasis on attracting younger audiences.»
A match starting at 9 p.m. typically concludes no earlier than 11 p.m. However, with the addition of extra time, penalty shootouts, and the subsequent trophy presentation, the final whistle could easily blow closer to midnight, posing considerable challenges for fans trying to leave the stadium and return home.
UEFA confirmed that this scheduling modification was made following consultations with Football Supporters Europe, their official representative body on matters affecting supporters.
Looking ahead, this season`s Champions League final is scheduled for May 30, with the main competition phase set to commence on September 16 of the current year.
O`zbekcha Matn (Lotin alifbosida)
Yevropa Futbol Assotsiatsiyalari Ittifoqi (UEFA) oʻzining nufuzli Chempionlar Ligasi finali jadvalida muhim oʻzgarishni eʼlon qildi. Oʻyin endi anʼanaviy 21:00 oʻrniga mahalliy vaqt bilan 18:00 da (Sharqiy vaqt bilan 12:00) boshlanadi, bu asosan muxlislar uchun umumiy tajribani yaxshilash istagi bilan bogʻliq.
Payshanba kuni eʼlon qilingan ushbu qaror dastlab 2026-yilgi finalga qaratilgan boʻlib, u Budapeshtdagi Puskas Arenada boʻlib oʻtishi rejalashtirilgan. Garchi asosiy eʼtibor ushbu voqeaga qaratilgan boʻlsa-da, bu muddatdan oldinroq boshlanish vaqti keyingi Chempionlar Ligasi finallari uchun doimiy boʻlib qoladimi yoki yoʻqmi, nomaʼlum. Bu harakat oʻyinni kunduzi tugatishni maqsad qilgan boʻlib, shu bilan ishtirokchilar uchun oʻyindan keyingi sayohatni soddalashtiradi va bir vaqtning oʻzida translyatsiyani butun dunyo auditoriyasi uchun yanada qulayroq qiladi.
Payshanba kuni eʼlon qilingan bayonotida UEFA oʻz qarorining sababini batafsil tushuntirdi: «Ushbu tuzatish logistika va operatsion jihatlarni tartibga solish, shu bilan birga bir nechta aniq afzalliklarni taqdim etish orqali muxlislar, ishtirokchi jamoalar va mezbon shaharlar uchun butun oʻyin kuni tajribasini oshirishga moʻljallangan. Bizning yakuniy maqsadimiz – mavsumning eng yuqori klub futbol oʻyiniga tashrif buyurgan oilalar va bolalar uchun qulay muhit yaratish, shu bilan birga har bir ishtiyoqmand uchun oʻyin kunini haqiqatan ham unutilmas voqeaga aylantirishdir.»
UEFA aniq foydali tomonlarni taʼkidladi: «Safar qiluvchi muxlislar uchun bu jamoat transportining yaxshiroq mavjudligini anglatadi, ayniqsa final hushtagidan keyin, stadiondan uyga xavfsizroq va qulayroq yoʻl bilan qaytishga olib keladi. Mezbon shaharlar uchun bu tadbirning ijobiy iqtisodiy taʼsirini kuchaytirishi kutilmoqda, chunki muxlislar oʻz bayramlarini kengaytirish imkoniyatiga ega boʻladilar. Bundan tashqari, qayta koʻrib chiqilgan boshlanish vaqti yanada qulay translyatsiya oynasiga mos keladi, bu finalning butun dunyo boʻylab televideniye va raqamli tomoshabinlarga yanada kengroq yetib borishiga yordam beradi, ayniqsa yosh auditoriyani jalb qilishga alohida eʼtibor qaratiladi.»
Soat 21:00 da boshlangan oʻyin odatda 23:00 dan oldin tugamaydi. Biroq, qoʻshimcha vaqt, penaltilar seriyasi va keyingi kubok topshirish marosimini hisobga olsak, yakuniy hushtak yarim tungacha yangrashi mumkin, bu stadionni tark etishga va uyga qaytishga urinayotgan muxlislar uchun sezilarli qiyinchiliklarni keltirib chiqaradi.
UEFA ushbu jadval oʻzgarishi muxlislarga taʼsir qiluvchi masalalar boʻyicha rasmiy vakili boʻlgan Yevropa Futbol Muxlislari tashkiloti bilan maslahatlashuvlardan soʻng amalga oshirilganini tasdiqladi.
Kelajakka nazar tashlab, bu mavsumdagi Chempionlar Ligasi finali 30-mayga belgilangan boʻlib, asosiy musobaqa bosqichi joriy yilning 16-sentyabrida boshlanadi.
